Choices
by Guru of Gaming
Summary: Can the choices we make change our destiny? Can one choice really change the future? Can one witch save the world from destruction? Hermionie is about to find out... Rated M for language and sexual scenes between the ladies early on. First story.
1. Prologue

_**Can the choices we make change our destiny? Can one choice really change the future? Can one witch save the world from destruction? Hermione is about to find out...**_

**Welcome to my very first story: Choices. Read and review as appropriate, and enjoy!**

"You need to go now if you don't want to be spotted, guys" Harry told his two friends.

"We are not leaving you Harry, we've already told you this before;" the redhead retorted.

"Ron's right Harry," said the brunette. "We stand a better chance of defeating him if we stand together."

"Yeah, and you two stand a greater chance of being hurt if you stay with me," Harry yelled back, clearly frustrated. It had been a week since the trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione; had destroyed Slytherin's Locket, one of Lord Voldemort's fabled Horcruxes, and the secret to his immortality. The pressure of having his friends in danger was starting to get to Harry.

"I'm not asking anymore, guys;" Harry said as he picked up the wand from on top of his bed; "I'm ordering you to go, save yourselves, and let me finish this alone."

Hermione looked at Ron, who looked just as stunned as she did. He was her best friend, how could he do this after all they had been through... "Harry, please," she said quietly as she walked slowly towards him; "Don't do this. Let us help you and we can defeat Him, together." She said the last word clearly, hoping to get through to him.

Harry and Hermione's eyes met, and for the first time ever, Hermionie saw a flash of something she never thought she would see from the Chosen One: Murder.

"CRUCIO!" Harry yelled, and instantly Hermione was writhing about on the floor, but surprisingly not screaming. Ron stood, unable to stop Harry as his best friend was tortured by his other best friend. "I put her under the Silence curse, didn't want her screams to give away our position," Harry told Ron. After a minute, and in Hermione's eyes a century, Harry released her from the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Ron ran over to comfort her, as Harry returned to packing away his things.

"You'll pay for this, Harry!" Ron shouted, as Harry picked up his Cloak of Invisibility.

"Really, 'cause I really didn't want to resort to using the Body-Bind curse on the two of you. I thought fear alone would be enough to get you to go."

"Fine, Harry. We'll leave you alone, but I hope you'll be happy," Hermione said slowly, still attempting to recover from the effects of the Torture Curse. She crawled over to her handbag and looked in it, making sure Harry hadn't taken a certain item out of it. "C'mon Ronald. Let's go." Knowing from experience, whenever she called him by his full name, she was serious.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter," Ron said as he helped Hermione to stand and escorted her out of the tent.

**3 days later,**

Ron and Hermione were eating some fruit they had foraged in the forest they were staying in. Hermione was still quite shaken over the ordeal, while Ron was unsure of what to do next. "Should we go back to Hogwarts?" Ron asked her.

"I don't think so, Ron. Snape's in charge remember, and besides, as soon as we step anywhere near Hogwarts, they will collect us and cart us off to You-Know-Who for questioning." Hermione said quietly. "I would rather just stay in hiding." She knew she didn't mean it, she would much rather be with people she knew, like Luna, The Patil twins, and Ginny. Her mind wandered as she thought of the female redhead. She had always had a secret crush on her, and knew that Ginny had one on her, but they couldn't do anything while they had Ron and Harry. At the mere thought of her former friends name, memories started to flood her mind of that painful night; how her friend used torture to get her to leave; how she could not defend herself; how she enjoyed it? _'No, how could I enjoy that?_' though Hermionie, her head suddenly confused. _'There is no way that torture could be enjoyable, could it?'_

"Well, we could always go back to the Burrow and stay with my folks," Ron suggested, dragging Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Huh," Hermione asked, oblivious to what her friend had suggested.

"I said, we could always go to the Burrow," Ron repeated, unsure of Hermione's current state of mind.

"Erm, Ron; Death Eaters are watching your house like hawks," Hermione reminded him. We wouldn't even be able to get into your garden before..." She was interrupted by a voice from outside their tent.

"Hello, is anyone there," a male voice asked quietly, "do you mind if I come in?"

The tent flap opened, and a teenager walked in, only to be met by a wand and a very old sword...

"Locomotor Mortis!" Ron spoke, and the unknown man's feet were rooted to the spot where he stood, unable to move.

"What are you doing! Let me go!" the teen said in a vain attempt to struggle free.

"Firstly, we ask the questions here," Hermione stated; advancing on the teen with the Sword of Gryffindor pointed squarely at his chest. "Secondly, you will answer all our questions truthfully. Got it?" Hermione grabbed his arm and tugged the sleeve up. _'No Dark Mark'_ she thought, as the now terrified teen nodded his head frantically.

"Who are you?" Ron asked. "Where are you from? What school do you go to?"

"My name is Dudley," the boy started, "Vernon Dudley, I'm from Norwich and I'm in Slytherin House at Hogwarts."


	2. Feelings in the Forest

The three teens were sat round a small table, eating the food that Ron had procured from a nearby market stall. Ron and Hermione were getting accustomed to their new ally, Vernon Dudley. It seemed Vernon had dropped out of Hogwarts, as he believed that the way the school was going didn't suit his ideology. For one, he believed that the sorting hat had been wrong when it sorted him into Slytherin. He wanted to be in Ravenclaw due to his brother going there the prior year. He also believed that the Slytherin ideal of blood supremacy was wrong, considering he was half blood, and didn't believe that the Death Eaters would like someone like that in their school house. He was a rather tall young man, with lanky arms and legs built ironically for running rather than fighting, and he had a pair of square glasses on his face, underneath a mop of brown hair.

"Something bothering you Hermione?" he asked; considering that she didn't trust him completely it was a dangerous question to ask.

"Huh; oh no, nothing's wrong, I was just thinking." In truth, Hermione was thinking, but not about Vernon. _'Torture can't possibly be pleasurable, it hurts and it is designed to cause pain'_ her mind argued. _'Admit it, 'Mione; you luuuuuuve pain!'_ another part of her mind said; purposely making her think back to the incident. _'I have to admit, even though it was painful, it did seem, right,'_ she conceded. She couldn't believe what she was saying to herself. Having said that, she did think it was right; and as she did, she felt a slight moist feeling...

"Erm, Hermione," Ron said, "You're blushing. Something you're not telling us?"

"What!" Hermione said startled, as she summoned a mirror from across the tent and gazed at her face. Sure enough, her face was almost as red as Ron's hair; but that wasn't the boys' immediate worry.

"Did you just summon that mirror without a wand?" Vernon asked her. "I didn't know you could do wandless magic."

"Oh, I guess I did, didn't I," she replied, as she let out a sigh of relief knowing her cover was not blown. _'I really didn't want that secret coming out'_ she said to herself.

"You didn't tell me Hermione, why haven't you used your wand?" Vernon inquired. "I've seen you using Ron's for putting up enchantments and charming the tent, but never your own. Why?"

"None of your business, Vernon," Ron said in a rather more aggressive tone than usual.

"No, Ron, he deserves to know," Hermione said quietly. "We were on the road with a friend, and we had a fight. Ron left and it was just me and our friend." Hermione stopped, attempting to find the courage to speak about her ex-friend. "Just before Ron came back, my friend and I had an argument. One which resulted in us being chased by a wolf through a forest. I cast a spell over his back to hit the wolf, and we fell over a tree root. I broke his wand as I fell on him. Snapped in two. Because I broke his wand, he has been using my wand since then." Hermione stood up and walked over to her bed, clearly upset over her memories of Harry, or was it anger; she didn't know.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't know," Vernon started; but Ron stopped him, holding is hand up to his chest. "Let her calm down mate. She needs some alone time," Ron whispered and escorted himself and Vernon out of the tent.

"Why can't I get him out of my head?" Hermione cried to herself; "I loved him like a brother, and he treated me like, like," she couldn't think of the exact word, but knew what she meant; servant. _' And yet, I liked doing what he said, being told what to do,'_ she thought. _'I don't know, maybe it was him using the Cruciatus Curse on me that caused me to realise this.'_ As she thought on that recurring memory, the dampness from before returned and as the boys had given her some alone time, she decided to relieve herself. Her hand slid across her thigh, and in between her legs, feeling the wetness that had accumulated. _'My God, I'm so fucking wet!'_ she thought as she slid her index finger up and down her panties, and then brought it to her face, and licked it. _'God it tastes so good, I need more'_ she thought, horniness starting to take over. She made to glide her hand down to her glistening panties, when suddenly...

_**BOOM!**_ The tent wall shuddered as she fell over from the force of the blast. Ron and Vernon ran into the tent, panting and huffing. "Hermione, we need to go, now!"

"Ron's right, we got Snatchers closing in and they just recognised him!" Vernon agreed, quickly gathering their belongings up.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Ron yelled, helping Hermionie onto her feet as he grabbed his bag of tools from by his bed.

"OK, guys," Hermione said, disappointed that she couldn't sate her horny hunger. She grabbed her magic handbag and threw the sword into it, it disappearing into a large pocket she had conjured before the trio's journey began in August after Bill and Fleur's wedding. Just as they exited the tent they looked around frantically, _'nobody there,'_ she thought.

All of a sudden, she heard a voice behind them. "Looks like we got ourselves quite a prize, fellas."

"Indeed Scabior," a second said. Hermione tried to turn to look at who was talking, but instead fell over. "Did I not mention, girl, you're all under the Body-Bind curse," the second man continued. "You're not going anywhere unless we tell you to."

"You know Anthonin, I do believe that we caught the Granger girl with the Weasley," Scabior said to his ally. "Which means," he continued as he walked over to Vernon "that this is the infamous Harry Potter that we have here!" All the Snatchers in their group grinned.

"My name is Vernon, not Harry," Vernon said defiantly, as Scabior turned away.

"Well, we shall see won't we. Take them to Malfoy Manor!" Scabior ordered.

"Yes Sir!" the five other men said; and they took their captives arms and Apparated them to Malfoy Manor.


	3. Captured and Cursed

_**Warning: some sexual language in this chapter and the next. You have been warned.**_

"Why have you brought these children here!" Narcissa Malfoy yelled at the Snatchers. "You're paid to round up truants, not bring them to my home!"

"I understand Mistress, but we believe we have the Golden Trio with us," Scabior replied, as he waved to his three captives. As he turned back to Narcissa's face, he saw her eyes widen, and her lips formed a grin. For a second, he could have sworn she had forgiven him...

"Well then, that will change everything if you are right, my dear Scabior," Narcissa said. "Bring them to the Grand Hall, my sister is waiting." Upon hearing this, Hermionie shuddered; not out of fear, but anticipation.

"Very well, Mistress."

The three were taken to the Grand Hall of the Manor and suspended in the air. Narcissa wanted to ensure they could not free themselves easily so she bound their arms and legs together. "OOOH! What do we have here, Cissy?" came a voice from the doorway. Hermionie recognised its owner immediately; Bellatrix Lestrange.

Bellarix Lestrange, convicted Death Eater, Torture Expert and all around feared witch among the Dark Lord's inner Circle. Nobody messed with her, for they knew what would happen if they did; just ask Frank and Alice Longbottom...

"I do believe Bella, that we have the Golden Trio in our midst." Narcissa said calmly, hoping that her sister would be generous with her congratulations.

"Well then," Bella cackled, "Lets introduce ourselves, shall we?" Bellatrix strode over to Ron first, who looked considerably worse for wear having fought with the Snatchers as they were bound. He was sporting a cut lip and cheek, something that Bellatrix was quick to point out. "Who did this to ickle Weasley?" she sing-songed to the rest of the group. Anthonin raised his hand gingerly, praying he would not invoke Bellatrix's wrath. "Hmmm, I suppose that you should be praised for hurting the boy," she started placing a finger next to Ron's cheek and allowing blood to flow onto it; Anthonin lowered his hand thanking whomever it was that saved him from her pain. "Having said that," she continued as her finger moved to her mouth, Anthonin gulped; "You really should have asked me permission." She finished and licked the blood off of her finger before shouting "Crucio!" At once the remaining Snatchers stood back as their comrade was tortured helpless. Not one of them wished to take his punishment, nor did they want to stop her.

As she let up, she strode to the centre teen. "Hmmm, I do believe this is the Mudblood Scum Granger. Tell me Granger, how does it feel to be in the presence of those whose blood is much more purer than your own?" she asked waving her arm around to the people in front of her.

Hermione contemplated her answer, before saying aloud two words she never thought she had the guts to say: "Fuck. You."

Bellatrix laughed. The rest started to laugh with her, unsure of what she was laughing about. "Well, I guess I had better put that mouth of yours to use, Muddy. Crucio!" All at once, Hermione's body was wracked with the same unimaginable pain as she felt when Harry performed the same curse on her. She opened her mouth and out came the most bloodcurdling scream that Ron had ever heard. Hermione was in agony, not only from the curse but also from the restraints, but strangely, the pain started to go away, in its place, an insatiable wave of pleasure. _'No way!'_ she thought; _'how could I possibly feel pleasure from this?'_ As she thought this, her pussy started to become wetter and wetter and her screams were becoming more and more like moaning. Bellatrix took the curse off of Hermionie, slightly confused, before turning her attention to her third captive. "And this will be the famous Harry Potter!" she giggled.

"I keep saying this, my name is Vernon Dudley, not Harry Potter!" yelled Vernon. "How many times do I have to say it!"

"Well, I'm sure my nephew can be the judge of... " Bellatrix started, before a silvery glint averted her gaze. Scabior was going through a bag, and had pulled out a rather long item. "Where did you get that!" she yelled, advancing on him as he turned towards her.

"It was in one of their bags, the girl's bag," he whimpered.

"And you thought you were going to take their belongings without my PERMISSION!" she screamed; "Bombarda!, Expulsio! Crucio!" her curses flew at all of the snatchers, who ran out of the door and Apparated away, only Anthonin remained.

"Erm, Mistress Lestrange, what about our money?" he asked and as he looked around, Narcissa's face looked and turned to her sister. She was clearly begging her mentally not to cast that spell. Obviously, she failed.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" screamed Bellatrix and Anthonin was no more. She then turned back to the captives and released them from their suspended bindings. "Take the boys and interrogate them, I wish to speak with the Mudblood. Girl. To. Girl." And as she did, she dragged Hermione by her arms to her quarters, sword in tow.

"Levicorpus" Bellatrix spoke as she entered her bedroom within the Manor. True it was not as big as her own back home but it sufficed. Hermione started to levitate in place as Bellatrix prowled around. "I'm only going to ask you this nicely once," she said. "Where did you get, **this**?" she continued holding up the sword.

"It was in a lake in a forest, I swear," Hermione said. She knew Bellatrix wouldn't believe her, but she had to try.

"Wrong answer. Crucio!" Bellatrix said as Hermione began writhing about once more. However, the pain was not there, but instead, pleasure; and lots of it. She began moaning as the waves of orgasm approached.

"Where did you get it!"

"In the forest, I'm not lying, I swear!"

"Crucio!" Hermione could feel the wetness escaping her pussy, and she could feel her breath quicken.

"Last chance, Muddy. Where. Did. You. Get. This. Sword. From?" Bellatrix was clearly becoming agitated by the apparent ineffectiveness of her curse.

"I told you," Hermione gasped, so close to her impending orgasm she could taste it in the air. "We found it in a lake in the Yorkshire woods. I Swear."

"Fine Muddy. You leave me no choice," sighed Bellatrix as she took a knife out of her drawer and approached Hermione. "I swore I wouldn't use this curse ever again after the Longbottoms, but you have given me no alternative. " She plunged the knife into Hermione's abdomen and yelled "CRUCIO MAXIMA!"

Hermione screamed. This was unimaginable pain far beyond that of the regular curse, and yet if felt so good! She screamed louder, more primal as the orgasm surrounding her body finally took hold and exploded out of her. "AAAAARGH!" she screamed, as her pussy exploded and gushed every last bit of pent up energy all over her clothes, all over the floor, and worryingly for her, all over Bellatrix.


	4. The Proposition

Hermione slumped in mid-air, still recovering from her orgasm as well as the wound from the knife. Bellatrix on the other hand was awestruck. None of the people she had tortured had ever survived the maxima curse variant without going insane, and especially hadn't enjoyed it. She looked at her hand, covered in Hermione's blood and juices and licked it clean. 'God, this taste is intoxicating, even for a Mudblood,' she said to herself. 'I shall have to find out what memories she has that give her this much pleasure.'

"Legilimens," she said softly as she pointed her wand at Hermione's head, and instantly was bathed in memories of Hermione at the wedding, Hermione and Ginny in the Burrow, Hermione and Ginny having sex! _'What the fuck!'_ Bellatrix thought, as she watched the two teens licking and fingering each other's glistening pussies, before Hermione conjured a dildo and started fucking the redhead. _'I don't believe what I'm seeing,'_ she thought to herself, before the scene shifted to Ron's departure, the wolf chase in the woods, to Harry finding the sword in a lake. _'Huh, so she was telling the truth,'_ she said to herself. The next memory caused her to gasp, and she could distantly hear Hermione moan; it was her memory of Harry casting the Cruciatus Curse on her.

Bellatrix left Hermione's mind, and gasped, not only for the memories she had just witnessed, but also because she was aroused by them! _'No, how can this be!'_ she thought, thinking this is weakness to be aroused in front of a captive.

"So, you know then;" Hermione panted, "about me being a lesbian?" Bellatrix looked up at her captive. It was obvious by the way she was looking at her that Hermionie was correct. "And I take it that you are one as well?" Hermione asked.

Bellatrix stood up straight, a shocked look on her face. "How did you..."

"Legilimency works both ways, if you let your guard down," Hermione cut in. She realised that she wanted somebody to take care of her, keep her safe, and help her get over the memories of Harry Potter. An insane idea crept into her head...

"Mistress Lestrange, I have a proposition for you."

"Oh, and what might that be, Granger?" said Bellatrix, genuinely intrigued by Hermione's statement.

"What would you say if I offered to serve you, in exchange for the boys' freedom. What would you say, if I helped assist you in defeating Harry Potter?" Hermione asked.

"What? You want to defeat Potter? Your own friend?" Bellatrix said, clearly believing that her captive was joking.

"He's no friend of mine," Hermione spat; "Not anymore."

A deathly silence flooded the room, Hermione daren't speak after that last proclamation, how she had essentially offered to kill her former friend. Bellatrix meanwhile was busy comprehending this new information._ 'The Mudblood is bright, she knows a lot of spells, and she wishes to serve me; not the Dark Lord, but me! Not only that, but she believes that Potter is no longer her friend. Regardless, her information alone will prove useful to the Dark Lord, and she will be useful to me.'_

"Claire," Bellatrix spoke softly, startling Hermione. In an instant, a small, female house elf appeared, dressed not in typical house elf attire, but instead a black lacy frock. "Go to my sister and tell her to let her male captives go. Tell her to send them to the nearest uninhabited forest." The house elf nodded in recognition. "Also, tell her that I will be taking Miss Granger back to Lestrange Manor. She will prove to be very useful to me in time."

"Yes Mistress Bellatrix," the house elf replied, and with a pop, she was gone.

Bellatrix turned to her captive and removed the charms on her. Hermione slumped on the floor, she didn't even have the strength to get up. "Come here my dear," Bellatrix said; and Hermione could have sworn that she was saying it lovingly, almost motherly. She reached her hand up to Bellatrix's oustretched palm and grabbed it tenderly. A pop meant that the house elf had returned.

"It is done, my mistress," Claire said as she bowed to her master.

"Very good, Claire," said Bellatrix, in an almost loving tone. "Take us home."

"Very well mistress." The house elf gripped Bellatrix's free hand as well as Hermione's and concentrated, and in a split second arrived in the main hallway of Lestrange Manor.

"Thank you Claire," Bellatrix said as she kissed the house elf gently on the forehead. "Can you make up my bedroom, for two people please?" she asked.

"Of course, Mistress," replied Claire; "what time would you like to be served dinner?" she inquired.

"Seven will be fine, Claire," she responded; and the house elf nodded and vanished with a pop.

In all of this, Hermione observed all of the facets of Bellatrix's personality that she never thought were possible; she was loving, caring, and respectful of her house elf.

"Now then Granger," Bellatrix spoke softly, snapping Hermione out of her dream; "Let's get started. Follow me." And with that she helped Hermione to another room in the back of the manor. As Bellatrix opened the door, Hermione let out a gasp.

Inside the room was an assortment of harnesses, chains, and even a double bed. It appeared to be a bondage paradise. "It's beautiful!" Hermione gasped. "Good," Bellatrix replied, walking her in and placing her on the bed.

"I want you to take off your clothes, my dear," said Bellatrix as she started to remove her dress, revealing a lacy black corset and matching panties. "Oh and I want you to call me Bella," she added.

"OK," replied Hermione, as she systematically shed her clothes leaving a red satin bra, and a very wet pair of red satin panties. "But you have to call me Miney, deal?"

"Deal, Miney," Bella replied, as she climbed on top of her new toy. She reached into a drawer next to the bed and pulled out a black box, within it were a trio of steel knives.

"Y'now Miney," Bella giggled, "I never would have thought you were a secret masochist. A lover of pain, not unlike myself. Only, I am a sadist; I enjoy delivering pain." As she spoke she took out a small knife and started to cut away Hermione's bra and panties. Once they were disposed of, Bella looked at the now naked girl under her. "My, my, you are so pretty underneath all of those clothes."

"You're not so bad yourself, Bella;" Hermione responded. "Please Bella, cut me with your knife."

"Very well," she replied, and she placed a long shallow gash down her sternum. Hermione squealed in delight at the pain. She then started to place smaller cuts leading away from it, each one gaining an approving squeak from Hermione. After the fifth cut, Bella noticed that Hermione was panting, and her pussy was very wet indeed. She bent down and started to lick Hermione private mound, noting that she had shaved her pubic hair into a small heart, as well as having a very pink pussy. As she did so, Hermione's breathing became more and more ragged, which only prompted Bellatrix to be more vigourous.

"Oh Bella," Hermione moaned; "Suck my clit. Please!" Bella smirked, then obliged. The older witch sucked on Hermione's clit, eliciting moans of appreciation. She then grinned as she nibbled gently on the love button. "Oh God Bella, I'm gonna cum!" she breathed.

"Good, my little Miney; cum for Bella," and she bit down hard on her clit, causing Hermione to cum, and cum hard. For the second time that day, Bellatrix was covered in Hermione's juices. This time, however, she had something in mind...

"Well done, Miney; now I want you to lick my face clean from your juices," she said softly; and moved close to Hermione's face.

"I would love to, Bella." And with that, Hermione reached up and started to kiss Bellatrix Lestrange, first on the cheek, then the forehead, before moving down to the lips. Her tongue licked the older witch's lips begging for access, and no sooner had they obliged Hermione's tongue searched hungrily for Bellatrix's own.

Suddenly a bell chimed signalling that dinner was served. "Oh dear," sighed Bellatrix, "looks like playtime is over, for now my pet."


	5. Memories and Magic

_**OK, I will be leaving the femslash for now, and I will instead concentrate on the story. Who knows, there might be more later on ;-)**_

_**For now, on with the story!**_

It had been two weeks since Hermione had begun living with Bellatrix Lestrange at her home, and initially it seemed that all they would do would be to have bed sessions once a day and the rest, Hermionie would be shut in a room, kept away from society; as she had initially thought. However, she realised that even though Bellatrix was a Death Eater, she was still human, still capable of love. Bellatrix allowed her to roam the house while she was out, and even though she was unable to leave the house, the manor was large enough to provide Hermionie with access to all sorts of rooms. She was even more amazed at the fact that Bellatrix had not forbade her from eating when she felt like it, rather she was free to enter the pantry at any time she liked, like now.

"Good morning Mistress Hermione," said Claire, the Lestrange house elf. Hermione turned and saw that Claire was dressed in a very flattering white dress. Of all the dresses that Hermione had seen her wear, this was the most beautiful.

"Good morning to you too, Claire" Hermione replied. She went to collect a bowl for some cereal when Claire stopped her.

"No, no, Mistress," she said; "I will serve you your cereal. What would you like?"

"Erm, Weet Bix then please, Claire," Hermione said, and she moved towards the dining room. She was taken aback by how every morning since she arrived at Lestrange Manor Claire had served her breakfast, and the question on her mind was too burning to ignore. As Claire poured milk onto her cereal, Hermione decided to ask her. "Claire, I take it you are a free elf," Claire stood abruptly and looked at Hermione, not sure where she was going to go with this train of thought. "And I was just wondering, why do you serve the Lestrange family; specifically Bella?"

Claire considered the question before sitting down on top of the table next to Hermione. "A few years before Mistress Bellatrix was sent to Azkaban, she stopped some wizards who were attacking me. My master had freed me as a dying wish by giving me a dress of his own design and I had packed my things and left the house. No sooner had I left the safety of the garden when I was attacked by my late master's nephews. They believed that I belonged to them and cast an anti-disapparation jinx on me. They intended to take me and make me their servant. When I refused they started cursing me with such force that I passed out. When I came to, the wizards were dead, and a witch was cradling me in her arms. She brought me to this manor and cared for me, she nursed me back to health. When I was well enough to walk, she told me to go, as I was a free elf; I had no business serving another family. I disagreed. I told her that she saved my life, and that I owed her mine. If she was as kind to me as my former master was, then I would willingly stay here and serve her. If she was able to put a roof over my head and keep me safe, then I would keep her family safe under this roof." As she finished she grabbed a tea towel and started to cry into it.

"I'm sorry, Claire," apologised Hermione. "I didn't realise Bellatrix was so..."

"So kind," Claire finished. "Don't misunderstand, Mistress Bellatrix saved my life. No other wizard or witch has ever shown compassion like that to me before my late master. I serve her because I love her, as she loves me." And with that, Claire got up and went to complete her daily chores. This left Hermione to contemplate Claire's words over a bowl of cereal.

_'Who knew Bella could do something so compassionate,'_ she thought to herself between bites. _'Come to think of it, she hasn't properly been able to hurt me due to my love of pain.'_ Then it hit her; this was the whole point, both her and Bellatrix needed someone to complete them, like yin and yang, light and dark. She thought about this last part, light and dark. _'In the world today, who is really pure light or pure dark? Harry proved he has some darkness in his heart, while Bella's seems to hold nothing but light. Maybe this war can be solved and there can be peace.'_ As she finished eating her cereal and washed the bowl in the sink she decided on the day's events. She would attempt to try and mentally find Harry, look in his heart and see what he was planning. To do that, she would need the Lestrange library.

**6 hours later...**

"Mistress Hermione, are you OK?" Claire asked as Hermione awoke from her trance. She had been studying the Dark Arts books Bellatrix had in her library, hoping to find an astral projection spell, and once she found it she had been in the same trance for 3 hours.

"Huh," Hermione replied groggily, "yeah, I'm alright."

"Would you like a drink?" the house elf inquired.

"Sure, a cup of tea will be lovely, Claire." She really appreciated what the house elf was doing all the more now she knew the full story.

"Hmmm, I'll bring a blanket up with me, it's quite cold in here," Claire said as she turned to leave.

"No Claire, there's no need for that. I may just go upstairs for a nap," Hermione urged.

"Very well, I'll take the tea to your room then." Claire bowed and left for the kitchen.

Hermione turned to pick up the books, and decided to try something new. _'Wingardium Leviosa,'_ she thought, pointing her hand at one of the books on the floor. The book slowly rose before settling back on the floor. "OK then," she spoke the spell aloud, although in no more than a whisper. The book started to slowly rise once more, but it didn't fall. Hermione was able to pick up more books using the spell, and soon she had six books hovering around her. She didn't even notice a certain witch creep up behind her.

"Wandless magic, now that's good even for you Miney!" Bellatrix laughed, startling Hermione so she lost concentration and let the books drop. "Let me see you do it again," she urged, and Hermione complied whispering the spell with the first book, levitating it and placing it back on its shelf, then mentally saying the spell with the next book. "Wow Miney, how did you learn that?" Bellatrix asked, clearly impressed.

"I guess I had to learn how to use magic without my wand," Hermione said, with a rather unhappy look on her face. She moved towards Bellatrix and started to cry. Bellatrix was stunned, and as she didn't know what had caused the emotional breakdown she gave Hermione a hug; not a sexual hug but more akin to that of a mother.

"C'mon Miney," she soothed, stroking her brown hair as they walked down the hallway towards their bedroom; "tell me what's wrong."

As they sat on the bed Hermione started to tell Bellatrix her story, how she broke Harry's wand, how he took hers for his own use, and how she had to borrow wands to be able to use magic. As she finished and dried her eyes, a wave of clarity washed over Bellatrix; changing her ideals forever. Here next to her was a Muggle-born witch. According to the Ministry, Muggle-borns should not have magic, and must have used stolen wands to perform magic. Yet how can that be if her new friend Hermionie could perform magic without the aid of a wand. It didn't seem to make sense, moreover it seemed that Hermione had a lot more latent magical energy than she realised.

"Miney," she said quietly, "what are your opinions on Harry Potter?"

At the mention of the name, Hermione's body shivered from the memories of her former friend. "I believe," she said, "that he has been made famous due to defeating You-Know-Who, and yet his magical abilities are less than impressive. Yes he is able to complete tasks and missions designed for wizards and witches far beyond his capability, but he has only survived and beaten them purely on nerve, tenacity, luck or a combination of the three. I believe that if he did not have his magical protection, he would fall quickly.

Bellatrix pondered this last comment, before asking the next question. "What are your opinions on the Dark Lord?"

"He is driven by purpose, a desire to eradicate and rule over all those who are beneath him, yet his hypocrisy is that he had a Muggle father, and he discarded his father's name for reasons unknown to me. Everyone believes Him to be pure evil, but I don't think so."

Pondering this notion, Bellatrix asked her friend one more question: "Why is the Dark Lord not pure evil?"

"For the same reason you are not pure evil," Hermione solemnly replied looking deep into Bellatrix's eyes. "You were known to most as a Death Eater, a murderer, and yet you are able to show compassion, kindness and most importantly, love. You love Claire, and she loves you." Hermione grabbed the back of Bella's head. "Just like I do, Bella." And with that, the two started to kiss. They were too distracted they didn't notice a small pop by the bedside.

"I could come back later, Mistresses," Claire said timidly as she looked at her snogging mistresses.

"Nonsense, Claire," Hermione said, "Come here, you're just as important to this family as I am!" Claire looked uncharacteristically nervous as she looked at Bellatrix, who appeared deep in thought.

"Well, Claire," Bella finally said, "this family hug isn't going to last forever;" and with that the overjoyed house elf jumped into the open arms of her two mistresses. The hug lasted for over a minute as the love and tenderness radiated around the room. "I'm sorry Hermione," she spoke softly, genuinely.

"What are you sorry about?" Hermione asked, "You haven't done anything wrong."

"No, this was when I was torturing you about the sword, you told the truth, and I didn't believe you. I'm truly sorry."

"I forgive you, Bella," Hermione said as she lovingly stroked her lover's cheek. "Now, let me tell you what I found out about Harry Potter today."


	6. Riddle Mansion

Hermione was giddy with excitement, as this was the first day she would be going out with her lover, Bellatrix; not only that, but they were visiting the Dark Lord himself to share the vital information that Hermione had seen in her vision. "You ready Bella?" she asked the older witch.

"Almost. There done." Bella said and stepped out of the hallway into the dining room. She looked at Hermione and was stunned, there in front of her was a woman who looked almost identical to her in every way; apart from hair colour it looked like she was staring in a mirror. "Wow Miney," she said, "You look so sexy and beautiful in that dress."

Hermione was wearing a lacy black dress identical to Bellatrix's own, only it was slightly smaller than Bella's due to her being slightly taller than her. "Speak for yourself, Bella," she purred; moving to stroke her lover's cheek. "If I look beautiful and sexy in this dress, then you must be equally as sexy, if not more so."

Bellatrix blushed at the comment, something she had become accustomed to since living with Hermione, her once ghostly white face now a youthful pink. "Well I do dress to impress," she said as she turned to get their travelling cloaks.

"Impress the Dark Lord?" Hermionie asked; Bella simply turned and nodded, not offering another word, as though it were forbidden ground. "I didn't know you thought about him like that, Bella. I thought he was simply your master."

"No Hermione," Bellatrix said as she came back out of the closet with cloaks in hand. "The Dark Lord has acted like a father figure since my own died in the First War all those years ago. He cared for me, and took me in when I had nowhere to go. Yes I had my husband, but I needed a parent, and the Dark Lord sufficed beyond my wildest dreams. That is why I would do just about anything for Him."

Hermione stood, and contemplated this new information. _'Could I really change the Dark Lord's view on the Wizarding World?'_ she thought. _'I suppose I'll have to try.'_ "Let's go see Him now, Bella;" she spoke aloud this time, and Bellatrix nodded in agreement.

"Good luck, Mistresses," Claire shouted from the hallway as the two witches opened the front door of the Manor.

"Thank you, Claire!" they shouted back in unison, before Apparating to Voldemort's Headquarters: Riddle Mansion in Little Hangleton.

"Who goes there," a voice shouted as the pair landed in the courtyard of the mansion. Out of the doorway stepped Peter Pettigrew, a.k.a. Wormtail to the Death Eaters.

"Relax, Wormtail. It is only me, Bellatrix Lestrange," Bella shouted. "I trust you will not prevent me from seeking council with the Dark Lord."

Wormtail quickly opened the door and, wand raised, ordered her to show her Dark Mark. Bellatrix obliged, knowing that the mark was one of the few things that could not be transferred via Polyjuice Potion, so could be used as ID for the Death Eaters. It was then that he noticed Bella's companion. "Who is this with you!" he yelled and whipped off the cloak surrounding Hermione. It was raining so the two witches had brought them over their heads, like hoods. Suddenly, Bella moved faster than Hermione thought possible, as Wormtail went to cast a curse at Hermione.

"Actually, Wormtail. Miss Granger is here with me," Bella told him. "She has some information she wishes to share with the Dark Lord." Wormtail, recognising her tone as one of authority, lowered his wand, and Bellatrix released his wrist.

"Very well," he said, recovering from Bella's tight grip, "follow me ladies." The trio walked through the mansion, Hermione glancing at the portraits that hung in the Grand Hallway. "These are portraits of the Dark Lord's ancestors," Wormtail told her as they walked through. "I trust you recognise this particular Wizard?" he asked as they turned a corner and saw an enormous portrait of a man she had only seen in books.

"Salazar Slytherin," she whispered to Bellatrix, in awe of the portrait's intricacies and detail. The frame itself was adorned in three intertwining snakes, travelling all around the frame before meeting their tails. "I've only ever seen pictures of him in my school books, but never anything as beautiful as that."

"Well, the Dark Lord is descended from Salazar, so it is only fitting that he owns the greatest portrait of him in his family home," she replied.

"Here we are, ladies," Wormtail announced before opening the door. In the 'Throne Room', for lack of whatever else it could be called, sat the Dark Lord Himself, and he looked up to see his visitors entering.

"Ah, Nagini," he spoke softly to his pet snake, which was curled up at his side; "it appears that we have company." Despite his reputation, Hermione noticed that she didn't seem afraid to be in his presence.

"Greetings my Lord," Bellatrix announced as she bowed to her master. "I have brought before you someone who may be able to aid your pursuit of Harry Potter."

"Oh, and who might that be; my dear?" the Dark Lord asked her.

"Her... Hermione Granger, my Lord," Hermionie stated nervously as she walked up to the side of her lover and bowed to the Dark Lord.

"The Mudblood friend of Harry Potter, the Golden Girl!" Voldemort laughed. "Why would I even grace my ears to hear you speak? I should just kill you now and be done with it." He eyed her up and down; truth be told something seemed off about her, but he couldn't tell. Considering he was the greatest Legilimens on the planet, this was somewhat alarming for him.

"My Lord," Hermione said, mustering all of her Gryffindor courage, "Harry Potter is seeking to destroy your Horcruxes." She looked at the man in front of her to find not amusement in his eyes, but fury.

"How could he have found out about my Horcruxes? Nobody was supposed to know about them." He muttered to himself. He was clearly stunned by this revelation, he knew that Dumbledore was aware of them, having been notified by the traitor, Regulus Black; but he was unaware of how many Dumledore knew about. Furthermore, he asked himself, how it was the boy had found out. "Granger," he said quickly and walked slowly towards her. "How much do you know about my Horcruxes? How much does Potter know?"

Hermione knew she had to be concise and to the point if she wanted to evade his imminent wrath. _'Here goes nothing,'_ she thought. "Dumbledore told Harry about them last year. The two of them were looking into your past to find out the secret of your immortality." She looked at the ground as she counted off the ones she knew about. "Dumbledore destroyed the ring Horcrux, which Harry said belonged to Marvolo Gaunt, while Harry destroyed your diary a few years ago. Also, there was Slytherin's Locket which was destroyed a few weeks ago." She paused as she gathered the memories of the previous afternoon, where she was astrally following Harry. "There's more, sir," she continued as she looked up to see him standing and listening intently to her every word. "Yesterday, I was reading some books in Bellatrix's library on a spell concerning Astral Projection. I was able to use it to find Harry and figure out what he was planning, but more importantly, what he knows." She waved her hand at an empty portion of the room, where the air started to shimmer with her visions of the previous day's astral events. "He knows about the Cup of Hufflepuff," she continued, as a vision of the Cup appeared, "and he knows it is located in the Lestrange Vault. He also knows about the Diadem of Ravenclaw," which had now replaced the Cup in the vision, "and he is aware it is located somewhere in Hogwarts. Then there is your snake, my Lord." This time, she gestured towards Nagini as the vision started to resemble a memory of her own. "He realised that he could sense Horcruxes through his connection with you, and realised the snake is yet another one." Hermionie looked up at the Dark Lord, who was visibly mortified by this information. "Then there is the final Horcrux, Harry himself." As she finished, Voldemort retreated to his throne, unsure of how to react. He never thought that somebody would be able to find all of these objects, but now he knew about his own soul residing within Harry, it appeared that he would never be able to stop him.

"Wormtail," he said solemnly, "we need to act as fast as possible to protect my Horcruxes."

"Of course, my Lord," Wormtail replied, as he turned to the door to leave.

"There is something else," Hermione said suddenly, catching everyone off guard. "My Lord, are you aware of the Deathly Hallows?"


	7. The Deathly Hallows

"Of course I am aware of the Deathly Hallows, it is a legend among wizards and witches who seek the magical objects;" Voldemort said, clearly displaying his annoyance at the fact that Hermione had asked such a ridiculous question.

"Then you must know what each of the three items are;" Hermione replied, as the vision of the Horcruxes was replaced by a large crest, one that Voldemort instantly recognised. "The Elder Wand," she said, and the vertical line highlighted itself in gleaming silver; "the Resurrection Stone," the circle highlighted itself now, "and the Cloak of Invisibility," she finished as the triangle encompassing the former two symbols was highlighted. "These objects are very much real, and Harry Potter has collected them all."

Voldemort was shocked at this revelation, he knew that the Elder Wand existed, he had been searching for it himself, as for the Stone and Cloak, he did not care much for them. "How did he find them, Miss Granger?" he asked; a hint of fear in his voice.

"The Cloak, it appears, was passed on to him by his ancestor, Ignotus Peverell; while the Stone was taken from Marvolo Gaunt's ring," she said, hoping he would realise what it meant for his lineage.

"Wait, if Potter was descended from a Peverell, and my uncle's ring was also passed down. Then that means..." Voldemort started to piece it together.

"That you, my Lord, are descended from the second brother, Cadmus Peverell," Hermione finished for him.

"I... I was unaware that I held a piece of Wizarding legend;" Voldamort admitted, "I should have realised, should have known it wasn't simply a symbol, but proof of my lineage." His mind started to piece the truth together. "That means that myself and Potter are the direct descendants of the Peverells, once the strongest magical family in the entire world." He looked at Hermione and asked in a rather more soft voice than usual, "How did he acquire the Stone?"

"Dumbledore left it to him in his will, via the Golden Snitch that he caught in his first game of Quidditch. When he destroyed the locket, he decided to destroy the Snitch as well, and out fell the Stone. He used it to speak to his parents, who told him to avenge their death; by defeating you," she spoke the last part a lot more timidly, not knowing the reaction from Voldemort.

"What about the Elder Wand, child?" Voldemort asked. "Legend has it that the oldest brother was murdered so never had any children. However the wand had passed down through owners due to conflict, and disappeared in the 1900s. How did Potter come across it?" The Dark Lord's intrigue was growing by the minute.

"I believe that Dumbledore gained possession of the wand after defeating Grindelwald in 1945," Hermione stated. This was probably the hardest thing she had to say to the Dark Lord. "According to my vision, Dumbledore intended for the power of the Elder Wand to die with him, as he would have died a natural death due to the curse you placed on the ring. However..." she was unable to finish, as she suddenly felt an intense pain in her mind, not pleasurable but immense pain, and she started to scream. "AAARGGH!" she shrieked as the pain building up on her head brought her to her knees.

"My Lord!" Bellatrix exclaimed looking directly at Voldemort for any sign of him casting a curse.

"It is not me, Bellatrix," he affirmed quickly, before looking over to the only other person in the room. "Wormtail, is this your doing?"

"No, my Lord," Wormtail yelled over the shrieks of pain Hermione was making. Bellatrix went to comfort her lover, only for her hand to become burnt as soon as she came within an inch of Hermionie's body.

"Argh!" she cried out, looking at her right hand, now blistered, as if she had set fire to it. "What kind of magic is this?"

"I have heard that sometimes wands can make their owners feel the pain they are inflicting, but only if they are not in their owners possession." Voldemort reasoned. "Tell me Bellatrix, who has Hermione's wand?"

At this, Bellatrix's eyes widened in shock as she realised who was doing this: "Harry Potter," she whispered.

As if on cue, Hermione started to rise up into the air, no longer screaming, but instead muttering a spell. "Ostendo mihi quisnam est meus cruciatus. Ostendo mihi quisnam est meus cruciatus. Ostendo mihi quisnam est meus cruciatus!" At the third repeat her eyes opened, revealing not her usual brown eyes, but instead eyes of a deep crimson colour. Light started to appear out of Hermione's hands and with one last repeat, the light expanded, engulfing all four of them.

(Ostendo mihi quisnam est meus cruciatus means 'Show me who is my torturer' in latin)


	8. Serverus Subdued

_**Hello all! I have read your reviews and am very happy with your comments.**_

**From: Weet bix ()  
You've been spelling Hermione's name wrong. Also, I would recommend reading a  
lot more smut before trying to write some yourself; girls do not 'cum all over  
the place' as you've written...and there is a lot more that was unrealistic as  
you'll see when you learn more about the sex act.**

_****__**Reply: I have noticed that you are correct regarding Hermione's name, and have corrected it in all previous chapters. However, as for your second comment, I would like to remind you that this is my very first story attempt, so I am still working my way into it.**_

_**Now, on with the story!**_

"Where are we?" Wormtail asked as the light faded. He madly looked around as he realised, not only was he not in the Throne Room of Riddle Mansion, but he was also not quite on the floor.

"It appears we have become spectres," Voldemort said, getting to his feet; a challenge in itself as he could not grasp or touch anything. "We do not exist in this area of the world, Hermione must have astrally projected us to a certain area," he continued.

Bellatrix meanwhile was searching desperately for Hermione, who had vanished within the light. "Hermione!" she cried out, looking for her young lover. As if on cue, the light receded, revealing both Hermione's location above them, still in her trance like state; but also their general location: Hogwarts, specifically the Headmaster's Office.

What the quartet of witches and wizards could now see was Snape, doubled over next to his desk, as well as Harry Potter standing in front of him. "Well, Snape," Harry said to the Headmaster, "how long will you refuse to answer my question?"

"I honestly do not know about the mechanics of the Elder Wand, nor would I tell you if I did," Snape spat back, wheezing as he did. It appeared that whatever torture he was under was affecting his breathing.

"Oh boy," Harry sighed, as he walked over to Snape, pointing Hermione's wand at him as he did. "I know that Dumbledore had an agreement with you regarding his death. I know that he wanted the Wand's power to die with him, but what I don't know is, whether ownership transferred to you, or to the person who actually disarmed him: Draco Malfoy." At this revelation, Bellatrix gasped as she realised the implications of this ownership.

Snape got to his feet, albeit fairly slowly, and looked Harry in the eye; "Why are you doing this to me? You were supposed to be following Dumbledore's orders: find and destroy the Horcruxes. Why have you stolen Dumbledore's wand? There is no logic behind it!"

"Crucio!" Harry shouted, and both Snape and Hermione felt the effect of the Cruciatus Curse. "The logic behind it is, I require a wand that cannot be beaten by the Dark Lord. After all, the only thing that stopped him from defeating me is the twin cores of our wands, only now, my wand has been all but destroyed. Therefore, I need to master the wand to beat him. Not only that, but I also found out that while he lives, I am immortal."

Voldemort, Wormtail and Bellatrix all gasped. They knew about the Horcrux within him, but not the fact that it worked the other way around.

"How is that possible!" Snape gasped, on his knees due to the ferocity of the Cruciatus Curse placed on him.

"When he was resurrected in that graveyard, he used my blood in the ritual;" Harry explained as he paced around his former teacher. "Because of this, a part of me lives in him. Just like I am his Horcrux, he is mine. The only thing is, because his soul is so fragmented, he can die, whereas my soul is intact, so I cannot."

"Fine," Snape said, "so how do you plan on mastering the wand?" He looked up at Harry who was contemplating this question.

"I plan on killing its previous master, whether it is you, or Malfoy," Harry replied. "And to be honest, right now; I don't really care who it is." With this, he pointed Hermione's wand at Snape.

"No! You can't!" Bellatrix shouted, astounded that the Chosen one had fallen so far. Curiously, Harry turned around to see who had made the noise.

"I will only ask you this once Snape," Harry said, turning back around and pointing the wand at Snape's chest. "Where can I find Draco Malfoy?"

"The Dark Lord will never allow you to gain mastery of the Elder Wand. It doesn't matter if I die, Draco is safe, and you will never find him." Snape looked like hell, but he was astounded by his own bravery in the face of death. "Your father would have been so proud of you before this year, but he would not be happy at the road you have taken now."

"My father has told me to avenge his death!" Harry yelled, pulling the Resurrection Stone from his pocket. "This means that I possess all of the Deathly Hallows, making me the Master of Death!"

"Not until you master the Elder Wand!" Snape shouted back. If he was to die, at least he was going down fighting.

"Very well then, Snape;" Harry said calmly, "it was nice to know you." Harry pointed Hermione's wand at him and quietly said the one curse he never thought he would use: "Avada Kedavra."

A green light burst from the wand, hitting Snape square in the chest. But something didn't seem right; it appeared that there was a barrier preventing the spell from killing him. "What is going on, my Lord?" Wormtail asked as he watched the curse attempt to break through the barrier.

"I think Snape is protecting himself," Voldemort replied; "but there is no spell that can stop the curse."

"It's not Snape who is casting it!" Bellatrix shouted, pointing at the floating witch above them. Hermione was surrounded in a magenta aura, palms forward, pointing towards Snape.

"This I cannot allow!" Hermione yelled, and the paling surrounding Snape exploded, blasting the two wizards away from each other; Snape hit the cabinets behind him and they shattered, covering him in glass. Harry meanwhile had been thrown back into the wall next to the door, and crumpled into the floor. Hermione's wand meanwhile lay in between the two, shattered into six or seven parts, the dragon heartstring powering the wand had snapped, the wand was no more.

After what seemed like an age, the light receded, revealing Hermione curled up on the astral floor, while the 'real' wizards were recovering from the blast. "It doesn't matter if I don't actually kill you now," Harry panted, attempting to get to his feet; "the blood loss from your wounds will do it for me." Harry stood up straight and removed the Cloak of Invisibility from his pocket. "Goodbye, Headmaster," he said, as he donned the cloak and left the room. Once the door closed, the magenta light surrounding Hermione engulfed them once more.


	9. Recovery and Revelations

The Death Eaters appeared back in the Throne Room of Riddle Mansion, although it didn't appear like this before. The door into the hallway was broken across its middle, windows were shattered and Voldemort's throne had cracked from the top down. Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake was cowering under the remains of a table in the far side of the room; for any onlookers outside, it would have appeared a bomb had been detonated there.

Voldemort was the first to get to his feet, followed by Wormtail. Bellatrix however crawled quickly towards Hermione's body, who was lying on her side away from them. "Hermione!" Bellatrix yelled as she turned her over, and let out an audible gasp. Hermione's skin was a grey colour, and even though Bella could feel her pulse, she was not breathing regularly, nor was she responsive. "Hermione!" Bella cried out as she cradled her unconscious lover in her arms. "Don't leave me; I need you! Please!"

Voldemort knelt next to the grieving witch and stroked her face tenderly. "Bella," he soothed; realising that he needed to save her somehow. "I'll take her back to your home, I need you to go to your vault and check that the Cup Horcrux is still there. If it is, bring it back with you." As he said this, Bella turned to him, tears streaming down her face.

"Claire..." she cried quietly, and with a pop her loyal house elf appeared.

"Mistress Bellatrix," she bowed to her master, before glancing round and seeing the face of Voldemort next to her master. "Dark Lord! My apologies!" she replied quickly bowing so deeply her nose almost touched the wooden floor.

"Rise dear elf," Voldemort said quietly. Claire stood up, and waited for instructions, only realising who the two were kneeling with.

"Oh my!" she gasped, as she saw Hermione's lifeless body on the floor. "What can I do to help, Mistress," she asked the Death Eater.

"Help the Dark Lord to take care of Hermione," Bella replied. "I must perform a task for him, so I will not be coming with you." She turned to face Voldemort, "take care of her, my Lord," she said, before giving her young lover a peck on the forehead and Apparating to Gringotts.

"Wormtail," Voldemort said to a nervous Death Eater.

"Yes, my Lord," he replied.

"Go to Malfoy Manor and collect the Malfoy Family, bring them back to Lestrange Manor. Ensure the boy, Draco is alive and safe at all costs."

"As you wish, my Lord." With a bow Wormtail Apparated away.

The Dark Lord next placed his wand to his left temple, and contacted his subordinates at Hogwarts: the Carrows. The siblings Dark Marks started to burn, and as they checked them, they realised that they were blue rather than black, indicating a message had been sent. As Alecto pressed the tip of his wand to his mark, the siblings heard the Dark Lords voice in their heads.

"Carrows, I require a task of you. Serverus has been attacked in his office. Find him, and deliver him to Lestrange Manor personally, as I require your presence also. I need Serverus alive, so do what you need to sustain him."

Voldemort spoke to the house elf, who was now tending to Hermione's external wounds from the glass shards on the floor with a simple Healing Charm. "Claire," Voldemort said softly.

"Yes my Lord," she replied.

"Take us all to your home." The elf nodded and took both his and Hermione's hands gently, and Apparated them to the Manor.

Once the elf regained her bearings, she proceeded to escort the Dark Lord to her mistresses' bedroom, and once there, Voldemort placed Hermione's unconscious body on top of the bed, then he magically tucked her into the bed before turning to the concerned elf next to him. "Claire, I require a meeting with my subordinates." He counted mentally the number of Death Eaters that were not currently on missions overseas. "There will be approximately thirty members present."

"That will be sorted at once, my Lord," replied Claire; as she turned to leave, she turned back to the Dark Lord and said solemnly "take care of her, sir." With a pop, she Apparated downstairs to sort the accommodation out.

Voldemort moved over to Hermione's side, and admired her form. True, she had power, and she had motive for turning against Potter after what had been said just a few short hours ago, she would be a great asset to his cause. However, he had no plan against Potter becoming immortal. "How could I have been so foolish," he whispered to Hermione's unconscious body; "I was afraid of death, and after the boy defeated me, I swore that I would not rest until I could rid the world of the 'Boy who Lived'. But now, by my own actions he is immortal, and the only way for him to die is if I die first. I cannot win."

Meanwhile, downstairs Claire had just found a trio of men, one seriously injured; appear at her doorstep. She Apparated them to the bedroom, where Voldemort helped them place him into a bed Claire conjured across from Hermione's. "My Lord, we found him just in time," Alecto said as they helped to put Snape into the bed.

"We were able to alleviate some of his external wounds, but he has been unconscious since we found him," Amycus said, his deep voice resonating in the room. "I still do not know how you were able to sense him, being so far away from the school."

"That, Amycus, is all down to our friend over in the other bed," Voldemort replied, indicating the 4-poster bed across the room. "She was able to locate both Serverus and his attacker, Harry Potter." The siblings gasped in unison, not believing that the Chosen One could have attacked his own headmaster. "Had it not been for her intervention, he would not have survived the attack."

"My Lord," Alecto said quietly, "why did Potter go after Snape anyway? He had no reason to attack the school; unless he was after something..."

Suddenly, Wormtail Apparated into the room, a gash across his cheek. "My Lord, Potter was at the Manor;" he gasped, trying to catch his breath. His legs gave way, but Alecto was quick to react and caught him, before guiding him to sit on Snape's bed. "He attacked us all, but I was able to protect the Malfoys. I was able to Apparate them all away with light injuries, but I was not so lucky." As he said this, he held up his arm, the metallic fist Voldemort had given him 3 years prior was gone, destroyed, and the bloodied stump of his arm remained.

"Oh Wormtail," Voldemort said as he moved round to examine the stump closely, "you have done exceptionally well to protect the Malfoys." He waved his wand and produced a new, golden hand for Wormtail.

"Thank you Master!" he thanked as he examined his new hand.

"Claire," Voldemort said, and the elf appeared in front of him. "Look after our wounded, please." Claire nodded in affirmation as Voldemort escorted his associates downstairs into the now enlarged dining room. The room now contained two tables down its length, chairs either side of them, with a grand chair at the end for Voldemort. As he mentally summoned the rest of his Death Eaters, the Malfoys and Carrows took some seats down the inner row. In what was only a few minutes, two dozen other Death Eaters arrived and took their seats. Bellatrix arrived back just as the last of the guests, Fenrir Greyback, arrived.

Bellatrix moved to the Dark Lords side revealing in her robes the Cup of Hufflepuff, and he motioned for her to take it upstairs. She ran as fast as she could to her bedroom, to see Snape and Wormtail on one side of the room, and Claire and Hermione on the other. "How are they?" she asked.

"Snape is recovering well, Bellatrix," Wormtail said, as he cast a charm on Snape to replenish his energy. "Although, I could do with a Blood Replenishing Potion, it appears Potter used the Sectumsempra Curse on him.

As Bellatrix made to summon the potion from the bathroom cupboard across the hall, she asked, "Didn't Snape know the counter curse, considering he created the spell?"

"I believe that Snape may have dropped his wand at that point, and have been unable to defend himself." Bellatrix handed him the bottle and turned to Claire.

"Mistress Hermione is doing well, but not as well as Master Serverus," Claire said solemnly. "She is unresponsive, and I'm not sure if she can recover from her ordeal." Bellatrix moved to the bed, where she saw her lover's lifeless body, a grey, slate-like colour to her skin; and her hair had darkened to almost the same colour as Bella's own ebony locks. Her external injuries had been healed, but due to the strain of the spell she cast all of her energy had been sapped.

"Oh Miney!" Bella cried as she stroked the young witch's face tenderly, "please wake up!" She looked at Hermione's exposed abdomen, which showed both the healing wounds sustained earlier that day, but also the two inch knife wound she herself had caused at Malfoy Manor. "I'm so sorry my dear," she sobbed as she now tenderly stroked that particular wound. All of a sudden, she felt a response from Hermione's hand, gripping her own ever so gently. "Hermione?" Bellatrix gasped as she looked onto the face of her young lover, who had her eyes open just slightly, and she whispered so quietly that Bellatrix had to lean in, almost face to face to her as she whispered in her ear:

"I forgive you."


	10. A Dark Wizard's Regret

Downstairs, the Dark Lord was addressing his loyal Death Eaters. "I have summoned you here, due to events that have occurred at Hogwarts," he said, a solemn tone in his snake-like voice. "Earlier today, Serverus Snape was attacked in his office by a young man, Harry Potter." Several of the Death Eaters let out audible gasps as he said this. "The boy severely injured Snape, and attacked the Malfoys at their home, because he sought to master the most powerful wand in existence, and become the Master of Death." Yet more gasps were heard, and some of the Death Eaters started to discuss it among themselves, before Voldemort held his hand up for silence. "I have also discovered, through a rather talented young witch, who I'm ashamed to admit is Muggle-born;" louder gasps were heard across the entire room, while Draco simply looked at the Dark Lord, whose look seemed to agree with Draco's assumption; "that the Chosen One is immortal." The entire room fell silent, attempting to comprehend what their master had just revealed. "I am afraid that, aside from my death, there is no way to kill Harry Potter. Because I used his blood in my resurrection, he can live forever. Once I die by his hand, the enchantment is broken, and he becomes mortal."

"My Lord," one of the Death Eaters asked, "what does that mean for our cause?"

"Our cause was flawed." Louder gasps were heard as Voldemort started to pace around his chair. "We believed that the Wizarding World should be ruled by pure-blood lineage alone, just like in the days of my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin. Alas, it appears that of all across the country, scores of half bloods and muggle-borns are rising against us in favour of the Chosen One, and although they would not admit it, they would love to see us fall once more. Therefore, we must surrender, or adapt." Murmurs swept throughout the room, all asking the same thing: 'How do we do that?'

...

In Bellatrix's bedroom, Hermione had finally awoke, as had Snape. "Thank you for saving my life, Miss Granger," Snape said as he got up to a sitting position.

"You are welcome, Serverus," Hermione replied, still drained but regaining her strength. "How are you doing, Bella?"

"I'm more than OK, now you're awake, my love," Bella replied happily, giving the younger witch a kiss on the lips, one that Hermione was quick to reciprocate. She was so happy that Hermione was conscious once more, and she hoped that her recovery would be swift. "How do you feel, Miney?" she asked.

"I feel like I just got thrown into a blaze," she replied, "I can't see much, like there is smoke in front of my eyes, and my skin feels like it has been out of sunlight for years. I just want to know what happened with my wand."

"Your wand was obliterated, Granger," Wormtail stated as he took a drink of water provided by Claire. "When Potter attempted the Killing Curse on Snape, you protected him somehow and destroyed the wand. How remains to be seen, but I must admit, you are one of the strongest witches in the world."

Suddenly, Hermione's head wrenched itself back, a loud groan escaping her lips. Her eyes glossed over, and her body grew rigid. "Hermione!" Bella yelled as her hand became stuck in Hermione's vice grip; "what's happening?" Almost as immediately as it started, it ended; Hermione panting as she caught her breath, while Bellatrix nursed her sore hand.

"I need to speak with the Dark Lord, Bella," Hermione panted, attempting to get out of the bed. "It's about Harry."

"No. Absolutely not," Bella replied, forcing her young lover back into bed. "You're too physically weak, you need your rest."

"No," Hermione insisted, "I must see him now. He has to know."

"In that case," Snape interjected, now on his feet thanks to Wormtail; "we will help you downstairs."

As Wormtail nodded in agreement, Bella conceded. "Alright then, come here Miney," and she held out her hand for Hermione to hold on to.

...

"My Lord," Amycus shouted over the other Death Eaters, his deep voice causing them to grow silent once more; "how are we meant to prove to the world we have changed? The Order of the Phoenix would just round us up and throw us back into Azkaban, or worse." Many of the Death Eaters were nodding their heads in agreement.

"Why must we change, at all," Alecto said as she got to her feet. "Our mission was to eliminate all who were not of the purest of blood. Only those of magical descent must be able to control magic. You told us that, my Lord."

"Unfortunately, dear Alecto," Voldemort started as he stood up from his throne, "I have been quite hypocritical regarding this mission. You see, my father was a Muggle. I was born a half-blood wizard. My ancestry leads to one of the most powerful Wizarding families of the Dark ages, as well as to the great Salazar himself." He paused as the Carrow siblings sat down once more. "We were wrong last time. Over 15 years ago, we believed to be bringing about a new age of wizards, yet we were opposed, and when I was defeated, you all became scarce. Only when I was reborn did you come back to serve me. That was where I was wrong. Our ideal of a pure wizard ruled country was never going to work, as the half-blood and muggle-borns outnumber us. If we can change, we can survive."

"My Lord," Fenrir Greyback spoke this time; but he could say no more as the doors behind him opened, revealing Snape, Wormtail and Bellatrix escorting a young witch into the room. "The Mudblood Granger," he growled as he turned around and withdrew his wand. "I'll kill you here right now!" he yelled as he made to cast the Killing Curse. Almost reading his mind, Bellatrix gripped her wand with her free hand, before something else rather unusual occurred.

"Stupefy!" Draco shouted as he stood up from the bench, blasting the werewolf to the back of the room, where he hit the wall and crumpled into a ball on the floor. "If the girl is here, then there must be a valid reason," he stated as he turned to his aunt.

Suddenly, Hermione's legs buckled, and the three wizards around her were quick to react, as was Draco, who grabbed his own chair for Hermione to sit on. "Draco, what are you doing, helping that Mudblood?" Lucius hissed at his son.

"Shut it, father," Draco spat back, as he stood to Hermione's side, just as Voldemort approached them.

"You were supposed to be recovering, child." Voldemort said softly, as the rest of the unknowing Death Eaters sat confused. "Why have you come down to see me?" he asked.

"My Lord," Hermione gasped, still recovering from what she had seen, "Potter attacked the Malfoys at their home, he inflicted wounds, and when they fled, the Elder wand treated it as defeating its previous owner." She looked into his crestfallen eyes as she declared to the entire congregation: "Harry Potter has mastery over the Elder Wand. He is now the Master of Death."

Gasps all around the room as the Death Eaters struggled to comprehend this news. Voldemort himself was almost close to tears. "Then it's over," he said. "We cannot defeat him. He is immortal. He is the master of the strongest wand in existence. We are done."

"Not yet," came Hermione's reply, as everyone turned to her.

"What do you mean, Granger?" Draco asked.

"There was a legend," Hermione said as she attempted to stand once again, being supported by Bellatrix and Draco. "The Legend of the Immortal Brothers. One day, a man challenged our hero to a duel at the stroke of midnight. The man was well known for the fact he had never shown mercy to his opponents, so naturally the hero felt fear over his imminent death. He went to visit his brother, a master of Dark rituals, who explained to him the Ritual of Immortality." She paused to get her breath back as many of the Death Eaters repeated the phrase. "The Ritual of Immortality was a dangerous Dark Magic which allowed the user to become immortal. However, to do that, the user must transfer some of his blood to another, and vice versa. Remember though, this was in an era where nobody trusted another, even brothers. The ritual was performed, the two brothers sharing blood, and they confronted their opponent. As the man cast the Killing Curse, it merely deflected off of the hero, and he defeated his opponent. Later that night, as his brother slept, the hero killed him in his sleep, and transferred his blood to another object, so as to retain his immortality, having become greedy. He lived forever, but he also aged normally, and at the age of 333, decided it was time to die. He dug up the urn containing the blood, and destroyed it, and his ancient body turned to dust."

"How was he able to kill his brother, if he was also immortal?" Draco asked.

"The Ritual required trust; trust that both parties needed for it to succeed. Because the hero was afraid of death, he betrayed the trust his brother gave him; you see the only way to kill a person with shared blood is to possess the same blood as them," Hermione explained.

"How does that help me?" Voldemort asked, his interest piqued.

"If we can remove Harry Potter's blood from you and give you new blood like in this ritual, Potter would lose his immortality," Hermione said, her confidence in the plan growing by the minute.

"What could we use to replace my blood though?" Voldemort said, as he looked at Nagini. Suddenly the answer rushed to his head. It appeared that Hermione had already thought of it.

"The Horcruxes," she replied as she stood on her own. "They are the key, but beside Potter, there is only one outstanding, the Diadem."

"I know where it is hidden," Voldemort smiled, "the Room of Hidden Things in Hogwarts."

"Unfortunately, my Lord," Snape interjected, "the organisation 'Dumbledore's Army', or D.A. has been using the Room of Requirement as a base of operations. The only access is through a special Galleon that was created for members of the D.A. to use."

"In that case," Hermione said with a smile, "it looks like we're going back to school, my Lord."


	11. Nighttime Fun

**Thank you to all who had commented on my earlier chapters. This is for those who like the M Rating. Enjoy! (I know I did! ;-D)**

It had been three days since Voldemort's meeting had taken place. The Death Eaters had all but dispersed, the Carrows having gone back to Hogwarts and 'informed' the school that Snape was visiting his sick mother in her home. While this appeared to be completely out of character for Snape, nobody refuted it; so it was left alone. Snape meanwhile was still recovering at Lestrange Manor, and Wormtail and Voldemort had decided to stay there as well, now that Riddle Mansion was in ruins.

Hermione meanwhile was in bed, still recovering her energy from the previous week's engagements. She was growing stronger every day, but needed one more day to fully recover so the trip to Hogwarts could be completed with no complications. As she fell asleep, her mind went over the meeting she had with Voldemort to discuss their plan.

'_How will we get into the Room of Requirement, Granger?' the Dark Lord asked her._

'_We use the enchanted Galleon. I can say that I need them to leave so that I can change the room, then you can come in and retrieve the Diadem,' Hermione responded._

'_How about detection? Won't the teachers think something is up if you turn up on your own, without Potter or Weasley?' Bellatrix asked._

'_No, if I tell them that they are busy with another mission, they won't ask twice. And there is always the Confundus Charm,' Hermione replied with a smile._

'_How about getting into the castle? You aren't just going to walk in through the Front Door.' Voldemort said._

'_That's where Snape comes in, he creates a Portkey from the Castle to here, and keeps it in his office. We use Disillusionment Charms to conceal ourselves, and we can deal with any complications ourselves.' Hermione finished as she had a drink of water. _

"Miney..." a soft voice roused her from the dream. Hermione awoke to see Bellatrix smiling sweetly at her. "How are you feeling, my love?" she asked.

"I'm alright, I was just thinking about the meeting earlier," she said with a yawn. "Although now you're here, I can imagine you had something else in mind..."

"Oh Miney," Bellatrix laughed as she removed her clothes magically, "You know me too well!" She pulled the duvet down Hermione's body, revealing a baby blue nightgown that she had become accustomed to seeing since she arrived.

"Wait, what about our Lord?" Hermione panicked, "won't he hear us?"

"That's why I put the Muffliato Charm on the door and walls, so he can't hear us," Bella replied, as she started to slink her hand up the nightgown to Hermione's breasts, rubbing the nipples slowly, and scraping her nails gently across the areola.

"Ooooh," Hermione moaned as her nipples became erect and stuck out of the nightgown like buttons, to which Bella hungrily started to nibble on. "Ahhhhh, that feels soooooo gooooood," she said happily as Bella alternated between nipples.

"Your turn, Miney," Bella responded, straddling Hermione in a 69 position so she could continue to play with Hermione's nipples.

"Alright Bella," she purred, "first one to cum loses."

"You're on!" Bella replied, and removed Hermione's gown completely before attacking her exposed pussy with her tongue. Not to be outdone, Hermione started to tongue fuck Bella's soaked pussy before nibbling on her clit.

"OHH!" the two women said in unison, as they felt the waves of pleasure starting to mount, and Bella went to work faster, now using her fingers to fuck Hermione's wet pussy.

_'She won't expect this...'_ Hermione thought deviously, conjuring a jet black dildo using magic. _'I may not be able to Apparate, but I can certainly do this;'_ and she started to lick Bella's puckered asshole, before plunging the dildo into it.

"Ohmygod!" Bella cried out as her ass was suddenly filled, before Hermione finger fucked her pussy with enthusiasm. "What have you done to my ass?" she panted, as Hermione gave a little giggle.

"I thought you would like my little surprise, Bella," she replied before removing the dildo from Bella's ass and shoving it into her soaking pussy. "Besides, it's a very special dildo that I conjured just for you..." Bella stood up, and looked down at her pussy, and noticed that the black dildo had now grown into a full 9 inch cock, but even more, she could feel everything, like it was a part of her. "Now, we can truly be one!" Hermione said, pulling Bella into a deep kiss. "Fuck me my love," she whispered; and Bella complied.

Bella plunged the jet black cock into her lover's pussy, and instantly felt the warmth of her pussy on the dildo. "This is just, just incredible!" she panted as she pounded into Hermione's wet snatch. "It feels so good!"

"Then you'll love this," Hermione winked and pushed Bella over, so that she was now on top, and as she impaled herself onto the cock, she felt it go to unexplored places in her pussy. Both of them were now crying out in pleasure as Hermione started to bounce on the cock, moving up and down as her tight pussy pleasured Bella's cock. "Oh Bella!" she cried out, her orgasm approaching fast.

"Oh Miney!" replied Bella, just as close. "Miney I'm gonna cum!" she yelled.

"So am I, Bella," shouted Hermione. "Let's cum together my darling!"

"Cumming!" the pair yelled and they orgasmed in each others' arms. As they recovered, Bella noticed something as she looked at Hermione's pussy, to see a white substance trickling out.

"Hermione," she panted as Hermione looked down to her pussy, "what is that stuff?"

"It's your cum, my dear Bella," Hermione answered, to the obvious shock of Bellatrix. "Don't worry Bella, it won't get me pregnant, it has no semen in it." Bellatrix stuck her finger into Hermione's pussy, and pulled out some of the cum, before giving it a taste. "I've never felt the feeling before, this was my first time, like this," Hermione admitted.

"Oh Miney," Bella soothed as she gave her a hug, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know what you would say, so I decided to surprise you."

"You know what, Miney, I have a fantasy that I think you may like..." Bella responded, a glint in her eye. She turned and stuck her face into Hermione's cunt, while her enchanted cock waved across Hermione's face. "Suck me, my love," she commanded.

Hermione wasted no time in licking the cum off of the dildo before gracefully sucking on the cock, knowing that Bella could feel everything. Bella meanwhile was lapping up every last drop of cum she could find buried in Hermione's snatch. After a few minutes of 69-ing, Bella tried something new. She grabbed Hermione by the waist and stood up from the bed, Hermione still sucking obediently on the cock.

"Let's see how you handle this," Bella said and stuck two fingers into Hermione's virgin asshole while keeping hold of Hermione's head on her cock, having cast the Levicorpus curse to keep Hermione aloft.

"Mmmph!" came Hermione's muffled reply, as she was ass fucked by one hand and held on the dildo by the other. She waved a free hand and conjured a new dildo, this one had two cocks, one about 8 inches in length, the other about 6 inches, joined at the bottom. As Bellatrix's hand left her head, she retreated up the shaft to catch her breath and speak. "I think you know what to do with that, Bella," she smiled deviously, as Bella accepted the gift.

"I never told you to stop, Miney," Bellatrix said, before withdrawing the fingers from Hermione's ass and spanking her cheeks repeatedly, much to Hermione's pleasure. "Now then, let the real fun begin!" she said as she plunged the twin dildo into Hermione's gaping holes.

"Mmmmmmmphhh!" Hermione tried in vain to scream out as all her holes were occupied but Bella kept her face squarely around her cock. Hermione snapped her fingers, causing the dildos in her ass and pussy to start to vibrate, giving her even more pleasure.

_'Give me all you got, my love,'_ she thought.

As if reading her mind, Bella started to thrust into Hermione's mouth. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Miney!" she said sweetly as she thrust harder and harder into Hermione's mouth, while the twins did their work on her nethers. After five minutes, Hermione started to go lightheaded from the blood rush to her head, as well as her oncoming orgasm, so Bella laid her down on the bed, still fucking all her holes with the dildos. "I'm cumming again, my love!" she said as she pulled out and came all over Hermione's face, showering her in white cum, before Hermione orgasmed profusely onto the bed. Bella sat down on the floor next to Hermione's head, Hermione spread eagle on the bed.

"This... was the ... best night's... fuck... Ever!" Hermione panted, as the cum slid into her mouth for her to taste.

"I agree," panted Bella, who began to lick Hermione's face clean of cum, before kissing her fully. She cast a Cleansing Charm on the bed sheets before tucking herself and Hermione into the bed. She reached for the dildo within, Hermione, but a hand stopped her.

"Leave them in, Bella," Hermione whispered; as Bella's hand retreated, Hermione placed a hand on Bella's own dildo, causing it to retreat into her body. "Now you can control that dildo yourself, Bella. Whenever you desire me, you can have me. All you need is love, and it will awaken."

Bella concentrated, and the black cock re-emerged, just as large as ever. "I want this feeling to last all night long," she whispered as she stroked Hermione's hair.

"As do I, Bella," Hermione replied, as she guided the cock towards her pussy, and moved the dildo from her pussy, before pushing both cocks deep into her ass. "Ooooh... That feels so good..." she moaned.

"Then this will feel even better..." Bella whispered, as she entered Hermione's pussy once more.


	12. Back to School

Hermione walked slowly into the dining room, wincing with every movement. Last night's events had been fun for her, but the pain she felt was now becoming more of a nuisance than any amount of pleasure. As she sat down across the table from Voldemort, who was reading the Daily Prophet, checking over what rumours were being spread, he noticed Hermione give a small wince as she sat down. Claire, the Lestrange house elf had just brewed Hermione a cup of coffee, and he watched as she slowly reached for it, wincing with every little move she made.

Voldemort let out a small chuckle, which startled the young witch, as well as causing her backside some immediate discomfort from the sudden movement. "Let me guess," Voldemort said with a grin; "you and Bellatrix had some **fun** behind the door of your bedroom?"

As Hermione started to blush, Voldemort drew his wand and pointed it at her, before putting it back in his robes. Hermione on the other hand felt a wave pass over her entire body, and once it was finished, she felt no more pain or stinging. Before she even had a chance to speak, Voldemort answered her. "That isn't the first time I have seen ladies move like that, Hermione. When I was in Hogwarts all those years ago, many of the Slytherin 7th Years would get up to the same kinds of actions that you yourself got up to last night." He chuckled once more as Hermione blushed even harder. "I devised a little charm that could negate the pain these girls felt, even if it was to have their support for something else."

Voldemort glanced to his left to see Snape coming down the stairs and into the kitchen. "This is between us, OK?" he whispered with a grin. Hermione quickly nodded and started to tuck in to Claire's gourmet breakfast. "Serverus, how are you feeling?" Voldemort asked as the Headmaster of Hogwarts sat down at the table.

"I am actually feeling well enough to travel back to the school, my Lord," Snape replied. As the two men started to converse about the planned break in to Hogwarts, Claire spoke to Hermione privately at the other end of the table.

"Mistress Bellatrix is not awake yet?" she said as Hermione shook her head in response. "Would you like me to go and wake her up?"

"No, let her sleep in," Hermione responded, although from Claire's wide eyed expression it appeared neither would be happening.

Bellatrix had just stormed into the kitchen, still in her bedclothes, carrying a rat by the tail. A rat that strangely enough had only four toes on one of its feet. "I demand that this little perv be punished!" Bella yelled as she threw Wormtail to the floor and forcefully made him assume his human form, before binding him with a non verbal spell. The men were sitting and staring at Wormtail's bound body, while Claire and Hermione started to giggle when they noticed the man had a raging hard-on, too big to ignore. "He was watching me getting out of bed, naked, and watching me shower. I demand he be punished, my Lord!" she yelled before trying to calm herself down. Hermione hadn't noticed before, but she looked quite beautiful after a shower, with her long wet locks of hair all matted together.

"Why don't we send him to the room you brought me to when I first came here, Bella?" Hermione purred as she stroked her lover's matt ebony locks. Bella's rage turned to a sinister grin as she agreed and forced him into the torture room. "The perv wants to see things like that, I think we can oblige," Hermione said with a smirk as she whispered into Bella's ear exactly what she had in mind.

The four made their way into the dungeon where Bella had tied up Wormtail. "C'mon Bellatrix, it was a joke, please don't do this!" Wormtail pleaded, before Hermione pointed a finger at him.

"Transmutatio ad muliere!" Hermione said, and Wormtail started to convulse as his body started to physically change. His chest started to enlarge itself, while the tent in his pants started to fall rapidly. After half a minute, Hermione stopped the curse, and Wormtail stopped convulsing. As Bellatrix stripped him of his clothes, they all saw what Hermione's spell had done: it had turned his body into that of a woman.

"What have you done to me?" Wormtail said; his voice now much higher than normal.

"What I have done is simply made it so that your punishment can be administered..." she said sinisterly.

"And what are you going to do to me?" he, _or rather she_, asked, as Voldemort and Snape stood grinning at his predicament.

"Well now, seeing as I have an important job to do today, I won't be punishing you. Bellatrix however has all the time in the world today, and she has a few more tricks up her sleeve." She whispered to Bellatrix as she turned round, "Do what you wish, but don't let Wormtail cum, OK?" A grinning nod from the older witch affirmed the task she had today, one she was going to thoroughly enjoy. "Gentlemen," she addressed the men in the room, "shall we get started?" As Hermione and the men closed the door, they could hear Wormtail's womanly screams coming from the other side, so Hermione cast a quick Silencing Charm on the door.

3 Hours Later

Snape's doe Patronus came rushing into the dining room where Voldemort and Hermione were patiently sitting, informing them that everything was ready at Hogwarts. They got up and headed for the door, and the two of them Apparated to Snape's Office in the Castle. Hermione and Voldemort were given special rings crafted by Snape, which had a single silver rose on it. He explained that even when under the effects of a Disillusionment Charm, the wearer's could see each other. The pair headed to the Room of Requirement, and under the cover of invisibility, was able to pass students and teachers alike with no incidents. When they reached the Room, Hermione activated the enchanted Galleon, causing the door to open, but as soon as they entered, a trio of wands pointed right at her face from within the darkness.

"Who's there?" a male voice said.

"Show yourself!" a female voice spoke this time.

Hermione glanced at Voldemort, who nodded back, and she removed the Disillusionment Charm cast on her, to the shock of all the occupants. "Ginny, Neville!" she shouted as Ginny ran towards her, only to be held back by Neville's arm, who had his arm raised.

"In our first year, what curse did you use on me to prevent me from stopping you, and where did it take place?" he said, as Ginny realised what he meant.

"I cast the Petrifying Curse, Petrificus Totalus, on you in the Gryffindor Common Room;" she replied, and Neville lowered his wand, before everyone in the room started to hug her. She glanced over to Voldemort, who hid himself away in the corner, away from any people.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, as she gave Hermione an extra big hug and a peck on the cheek to boot.

"We haven't heard anything about what's going on outside, we thought you were all dead;" Neville said.

"Well, I came here because," she started, looking towards Voldemort for some inspiration. This was going to be the hardest part of the entire plan. "Well, we found out that there was something hidden in the castle, in the Room of Requirement, and if I can get it, it would help us end the war a little bit faster;" she said, hoping that her story would work.

"Where are Harry and Ron though," Dean Thomas asked, "normally you three do things together?"

"Well, we decided to split up and follow separate leads. I haven't seen the others in a few weeks." She hoped this shred of truth would be enough to convince them, if not, there was always the Confundus Charm.

"What can we do to help then?" Ginny asked. 'Thank God somebody believes this story.' Hermione thought to herself.

"I need to access another Room of Requirement. To do that, I need the previous one to be vacant so it can change. Once I have what I need, it can be changed back."

There was some murmuring in the back of the room, before Neville calmed them down. "Alright Hermione, let's do this."

As the students filed out into the corridor, Voldemort slipped out behind them and hid by the door. When everyone was out, Hermione changed the room to the Room of Hidden Things, which was apparent when she opened the door and peered inside.

"Good luck in there," Ginny said as Voldemort slipped in through the open door.

"Thanks, Ginny," Hermione replied as she closed and locked the door behind her.

She activated the second function of the ring, which allowed her speech to be heard only by the person with the other ring. "Okay, where do we start, my Lord?" she asked.

"I have a feeling it was hidden somewhere around the stone bust, hidden in a box," Voldemort replied. It took five minutes for them to find the Horcrux, before stashing it in Hermione's bag and heading to the door.

As Hermione opened the door, she switched the private mode off and allowed both her and Voldemort to exit the room, before the members of D.A. converted it back into their Headquarters.

"That went well," Voldemort said via the ring as Hermione recast her Disillusionment Charm and switched back to privacy mode.

"I know, now all we need to do is the ritual and we can beat Harry," she replied. As they reached the Headmaster's Office once more, they removed the Charms and Apparated back to the Manor.


	13. Destruction of the Ministry

**Hello everyone, thank you for your patience and kind reviews. Here is the full chapter for your enjoyment**

Lestrange Manor was eerily quiet when Hermione walked through the front doors of the Manor. There was no sign of any of its occupants in the house at all, nor did it seem that there was any life at all there.

"Hello," she called out, hoping that someone would call back out.

"Did Mistress Hermione forget that she put a Silencing Charm on the door?" Claire asked as she Apparated into the hallway, scaring Hermione and making her jump.

"I completely forgot! I wonder how she has got on with Wormtail." With that, the three headed to the Torture Room and unlocked the door. As soon as the charm was removed, the screams started to echo out of the room, and as Hermione opened the door she saw the full extent of the torment Wormtail was under.

Wormtail was bound by his arms and legs in midair, with nothing to cover his femininity, while Bellatrix had gotten into the swing of things by donning a Dominatrix outfit. He was sweating profusely, and seemed to be straining to control himself from cumming, which was partly due to Bellatrix's prior curse.

"Look, Wormy," she purred as she stroked his bare ass with a crop, "we have some guests now."

"Hello darling!" Hermione said as she rushed over to give Bella a much needed hug and kiss, which clearly got Wormtail off as he was writhing about in the restraints, to the ladies obvious amusement.

"Please, Bellatrix; let me cum!" Wormtail pleaded. "This is too much torture!"

Hermione moved over to Wormtail and slid a finger into his dripping cunt, to his obvious pleasure. "Well, Bella; do you think Wormy has learned his lesson?" she purred to her lover, slowly pumping her finger into Wormtail's moist folds.

"I think five hours in torture is more than enough time for him to learn to respect women. Wouldn't you agree, my Lord?" she replied as she glanced over to Voldemort, who merely nodded in agreement.

"Please!" Wormtail begged. "I'm so fucking close! Please!"

"Well, I suppose if you have learned your lesson, then we should let you cum." Bella had now produced her jet black cock and was positioned behind Wormtail, while Hermione was ready with his cunt.

"Have you learned your lesson, Wormtail?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry I spied on you Bellatrix!" he cried out, as Bellatrix teased his asshole with her cock. "I'll never do it again, I swear!"

The ladies nodded their heads in unison and simultaneously, and roughly, entered Wormtail; Hermione plunging her entire fist into Wormtail's sopping cunt, while Bellatrix thrust her cock directly into Wormtail's ass. The sudden intrusion from both women caused him to finally orgasm, and the relief on his face was nothing compared to the amount of cum that was left on the floor and over Hermione's fist.

"I think it might be time to change him back, Mione," Bella said, withdrawing from Wormtail and cleaning herself off magically.

"I agree, Bella," Hermione replied as she pulled her fist out of Wormtail and started to lick it clean of his pussy juices. "Although, I might like to let him keep the pussy," she said with a grin. "He tastes brilliant! But not as good as you do Bella!" she added hastily as Bella gave one of her infamous pouts that Hermione was so accustomed to.

"Well, if he tastes as good as you say then you won't mind if I sample some, my dear," Bella said as she glided over and kissed Hermione, her tongue battling with Hermione's, grasping at the nectar that was present moments ago. "Mmmm," she purred as she released Hermione's luscious lips after almost a minute of snogging. "He does taste good. Perhaps we should let him have both?" she asked, to Wormtail's immediate horror, and Hermione's humour.

"No, Bella," Voldemort said as he stood at the doorway. "I think you should change him back to the way he was before. He has learned his lesson, and it _won't happen again_." He spoke the last three words with such authority that Wormtail knew the punishment for disobeying would be much worse than his current situation.

...

The quartet was at the dining table, eating one of Claire's gourmet meals. Everything seemed like it was just perfect in Hermione's eyes: she had a father figure in Voldemort, a loving girlfriend in Bellatrix, and the annoying brother in Wormtail. Claire was just as important, as she acted like a mother to Hermione, helping all of them, and being there for when she needed help. Life could not be better. She thought.

As the others started to discuss trivial matters such as how the Hogwarts trip went and what the 'old days' were like, Hermione started to feel lightheaded. She felt like she was floating, even though she was definitely sitting down; and she was hearing voices, not the ones from her new family, but voices in pain, one in particular made her recoil in terror. '_It can't be him!_' she thought; but sure enough, there Harry Potter was, clad in black robes with the Cloak of Invisibility draped on his back, while he held the Elder Wand in his right hand. He also had another wand in his left, its owner lying on the floor in front of Harry. '_What have you done Harry?_' she said to herself, but she might as well have bellowed it because Harry sent a Cruciatus Curse directly at her. While it did tingle a little, it wasn't nearly as hurtful as it was the few short months before when Harry had cast it the first time.

"Interesting," Harry said as he moved closer to Hermione's spectral form, silently casting a curse that would render a spirit immobile. "Spirits such as ghosts and poltergeists are immune to the effects of the Cruciatus Curse; but a spectre, a living person who is projecting their soul out is vulnerable." Harry cast another Cruciatus, and the pain Hermione felt was not enjoyable, like when Bella Crucioed her. No, this was something else entirely. "To think, Hermione. You were spying on me in Hogwarts when I stole this very wand from Dumbledore's tomb. You must have been the one to stop me from killing Snape that day, so I have been keeping an eye out for you. Thanks to this wand, I have developed a certain 'knack' for finding people I need. You may have been hidden from sight, but I still brought you here, and although I can't kill you outright, I can _harm_ you." He pointed the wand at Hermione's body, and shouted a curse that Hermione didn't understand. "Dolore electrica!"

Instantly, a blue light emerged and engulfed Hermione, who was now spasming and writhing in pain. This was electrocution, not torture, and Harry knew this. Hermione opened her eyes through the immense pain, much more pain than Bella had inflicted with 'Crucio Maxima'; and looked into Harry's eyes. He was not remorseful, nor was he merciful. All she saw was rage and anger, and above all, power.

As Hermione was about to lose consciousness, a white light encased her, blocking the attack and she slowly drifted asleep.

5 minutes later, she heard soft voices calling to her in the blinding white light. She opened her eyes, and saw Bellatrix and Voldemort staring back at her. She attempted to get up, but she had been in so much agony her muscles had shut down. "What happened?" she asked weakly to the two in front of her.

"You collapsed, and then started to spasm," Voldemort said as he checked her over mentally using his wand.

"We thought you were having a seizure, like Muggles do," Bella said, holding Hermione's hand gently.

"No," Hermione said, struggling to get to a sitting position. "It was much worse than that." Bella and Voldemort looked at each other as Hermione continued. "Harry attacked me, he electrocuted me. He said he couldn't kill me outright;" at this she started to sob, and instinctively Bella grabbed and held her in her arms.

Voldemort scanned her again before finally identifying the spell that had hurt Hermione. "Dolore Electrica, the Electrocution Curse;" he explained as he started to apply a healing charm on Hermione. "The Curse was designed as a variant on the Cruciatus, as it is not technically illegal to the magical laws, but it is as painful in its own right. Moreover, it was designed to affect spirits as well as people, as the Cruciatus Curse will not affect a ghost as much as it would a human." He finished the healing charm, and Bellatrix helped Hermione onto her feet.

"Where did he torture you, Miney?" Bella asked, helping the younger witch to a standing position.

"I, I'm not sure," she replied, attempting to recall the moment she looked around before Harry attacked. "All I saw was a black stone wall, with a green finish, and there was a man behind Harry, but I couldn't see his face." All of a sudden, another vision raced through her mind, although this time it was from a completely different perspective; a male perspective.

_The man was on the floor, looking around in the black stone building, and there were flames everywhere. It felt like whatever building he was in was on fire; or worse. Suddenly, a dragon made entirely of fire blazed past the man, and burst through a wall to his right, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. All he said was two words: 'Help me.'_

Hermione came out of her trance, staring at the older three, suddenly realising who the man in her latest vision was, and who the dead man from before was. "Kingsley!" she gasped, before grabbing both Voldemort's and Bellatrix's hands and Apparated towards the Ministry of Magic

At the Ministry, she saw that it no longer resembled the building she had infiltrated just a few short months ago. The atrium was destroyed, and the statue that had been erected in the fountain was reduced to rubble. The trio looked around for any signs, when Hermione ran towards a blazing doorway, spouting water from her hands to extinguish the fire. She kept running, through the fire and flames until she arrived at the Department of Mysteries. Immediately, she recognised the corridor she was in during her vision of Harry, and then saw the fire dragon in the opposite end of the corridor. Instinctively, she raised her hand and blasted a water curse at it, but it did not have the desired effect. Instead, it turned into something rather more frightening: a flame version of Harry Potter.

The flame-Potter started to cast spells from its fire wand, and while these were most likely standard curses, as they were made entirely of fire it made them harder to defend against. After several attempts to combat the demon, she opted to use Protego until she could figure out a way to defeat it. Fortunately, Voldemort and Bellatrix had arrived at the Department of Mysteries, and with their combined Dark Arts talents, were able to defeat the demon swiftly.

Before Bella had a chance to speak, Hermione was off again, looking for Kingsley, who she found unconscious under a pile of bricks. Voldemort meanwhile had located the dead man: Pius Thicknesse, the Minister; badly burned and bruised. Bella quickly scanned the rest of the floor for any more living people, before the roof started to cave in above them. "Hurry up!" she yelled, as Voldemort and Hermione grabbed their respective wards, and the three Apparated back to Lestrange Manor.

...

Elsewhere,

Serverus Snape had called Professor Trelawney to his office to discuss the War. "Sybill, I take it that you have sought protection for your family recently," he said matter-of-factly, while Trelawney was busy fidgeting with her hair. "I only ask because there has been an increase of attacks, and as Headmaster, it is my duty to ensure the safety of my school."

"This is not your school!" she spat, Snape not even flinching. "This was Dumbledore's school; and the only reason you sit where he once sat is because the Dark Lord willed it."

"The fact that you say that only proves my point even further, Sybill. Each teacher that I have brought up here, from Minerva to Filius has said the same thing, you are no exception." Snape got up and turned to the Portrait of Dumbledore behind him. "This man was one of the most powerful men of his age. He knew how to run the school, keep it in order. He was a leader, unlike myself; wouldn't you agree?"

Silence.

"Sybill?" he turned round and saw that Trelawney was in a trance, one he had seen almost 18 years prior.

"_**The Chosen One will endanger everyone. He will cause friends to become foes and foes to become allies. We will all be doomed, and he will rule over both kingdoms as Master of Death. He will be unstoppable until his immortal reign is broken by the Trinity; the Trinity of Ideals, Power and Truth shall defeat the tyrannical Chosen One...**_"

She broke out of her trance and collapsed into Snape's arms, while Snape stood aghast at what he had just heard.


	14. The Magic of Love

**Hiya everyone, Guru here, and I must apologise for the long wait you have all had. This is due in part to me trying to figure out some filler for this chapter, and also how i was going to word the big scene. Ihave also changed the chapter names to something more fitting for each of them, so feel free to have a look. Now sit back and enjoy.**

Kingsley felt as if he had just been thrown through several brick walls. His entire body was in agony and he couldn't move a muscle. His memory was fuzzy as well; the last thing he remembered was talking with the Minister in the Department of Mysteries, and he was voicing his concern about the direction of the current Ministry. Then he remembered nothing.

"Kingsley," came a familiar voice. "Kingsley, can you hear me?"

Kingsley opened his eyes slowly, the white light temporarily blinding him. When it faded he found he was staring into the face of Hermione Granger.

"Her...Hermione," he said weakly, as Hermione held onto his hand gently; "where am I?" He glanced around as best he could, and saw that he was opposite a grand 4-poster bed, while the remainder of the room was unoccupied. Just then, a voice called from the doorway.

"You're in Lestrange Manor, Mr Shacklebolt," Bellatrix said as she walked into the room and sat at the end of the poster bed, directly opposite him. "How is he Hermione?" she asked her lover.

"He's alive, that's the most important thing," she replied. "How is Thicknesse?" she inquired back.

"He never made it. It appears that the Ministry has fallen along with him," she replied.

"Why are you holding Hermione hostage!" Kingsley yelled, although given he was still incredibly weak the yell was more like his normal spoken voice.

"She isn't, Kingsley;" Hermione replied. "I live here of my own free will."

"Snap out of it Hermione," he said, attempting to sit upright, only to strain one of his many injuries.

Hermione helped him into a sitting position, and started to explain what had happened in the past few months. She explained how Harry had banished her and Ron, how she had been captured by Snatchers, and her deal with Bellatrix. She didn't explain about the Horcruxes, nor about the plan to defeat Harry, and at the end of it, did Kingsley finally relent.

"Ok, so what happened at the Ministry?" he asked.

"Hermione got a vision, first of Pius, then of you;" Bellatrix explained. "Both of you were at the Ministry, and you were both hurt. The Ministry itself was on fire, and I am astounded that we were actually able to get to you in time."

"We?" he asked.

"Myself, Hermione and the Dark Lord," Bellatrix stated, to Kingsley's obvious shock.

"Why would the Dark Lord want to help me?" he asked.

"Simple, he helped you due to who attacked the Ministry," Hermione said.

"And who exactly attacked the Ministry?" Kingsley asked, now getting very confused.

"Harry Potter," Bellatrix said, which confused and shocked Kingsley even more.

It took Kingsley a few minutes to digest the information he had been told, and more importantly, figure out whether it was true and why. '_Why would Harry burn down the Ministry and attack me?' he asked himself. 'I'm a member of the Order, as is he. Why attack your own ally? What do you gain from doing it?_' As he contemplated this the two witches left him alone, closing the door behind them. '_Why would Voldemort help me when we are supposed to be enemies? Why would Harry torture Hermione in the first place?_' He struggled to get out of the bed, and realised he was wearing a set of black night garments. He decided not to ponder this too much and headed for the door, which he expected to be booby-trapped, or at the very least locked; but was neither. Cautiously, he made his way outside into the hallway, and found that there was no guard posted outside his door. 'This must be a really bad kidnapping if they let me roam free.' Slowly making his way to the staircase, he started to walk downstairs. However, his right leg gave, and he started to fall down the stairs; fortunately, Claire was at the bottom of the stairs having a break when he fell.

"Oh my!" she said as Kingsley started to fall down the stairs. She cast a quick charm to prevent him from injuring himself, and he landed on the floor with a gentle tap. "Are you alright, sir?" she asked Kingsley.

"Yes," he replied as he nursed his leg, which seemed to have fractured at the Ministry and was now causing considerable pain. "I think," he added sheepishly, as Hermione came running over from the Dining Room.

"What happened Claire?" she asked as she looked over Kingsley carefully, noting his broken leg to be the source of the pain.

"Mr Shacklebolt was trying to come downstairs, and he fell," Claire replied, casting a Numbing Charm on Kingsley's leg to stop the pain. "I was able to prevent any major damage, but his leg has been badly hurt."

"Oh Kingsley," Hermione sighed, as she helped him onto his feet and carried him into the Dining Room, where the other residents were seated.

"So that is what all the fuss is about," Voldemort said as Kingsley entered the room. He had become a lot gentler since encountering Hermione, so his voice lacked the venom Kingsley was accustomed to.

"Why are you keeping me here?" Kingsley asked, as Claire handed him a glass of water, which he eagerly accepted. "What do you gain from this?"

"I would have thought you would have realised that, Mr Shacklebolt;" Voldemort replied. "Harry Potter is targeting anyone who has allegiance with me, and it appears that you were just collateral damage. Furthermore, he is attempting to defeat me so that he may rule both worlds."

"What!" was Kingsley's answer. "Why would Harry want to rule over the Wizarding World? He is only a schoolboy, he's not... he's not you." Even as he said this, he knew he didn't believe it. Harry had become more and more obsessed with defeating Voldemort that he had sought after several leads across the country, and even though the Order was practically destroyed with Dumbledore's passing, he knew people were watching his every move. What was worse however was that Ron, Hermione and Harry had dropped off the radar for weeks, and none of the Order knew where they were. "Why would Harry want the power that you possess?" he asked Voldemort.

"Potter wishes to defeat me, as do so many wizards across the country. However, he possesses the Elder Wand, a legendary unbeatable wand; and he believes that its power will be enough to defeat me. Worryingly, his lust for power has led him to the path of death itself. He believes that as master over death, he should have the right to rule the world, as he would be unstoppable, and immortal."

"Immortal?" Kingsley said disbelievingly, in truth, he did not want to believe that Harry was immortal, yet at the same time, he did not realise how powerful and at the same time fearful he had become.

"Yes, Kingsley." It was Hermione speaking now, and even as she did, Kingsley could not believe that she had willingly allied herself with the Death Eaters. "The blood running through the Dark Lord's veins is Harry's blood. Since his blood is in the body of another, he cannot die until the Dark Lord dies." Kingsley was still as he processed this information, analysing every shred of info in his head.

"The reason you are here is for your protection, Kingsley," Bellatrix stated. "As said before, Potter is attempting to stop us from defeating him, so is attacking our allies. You were simply caught in the crossfire." She glanced over to Voldemort before continuing. "We wish to offer a truce with the Order. We will stop the War, and cease fighting so that we can stop Harry. We would like you to set up a meeting so that we can discuss the future of the Wizarding World, not as enemies, but as allies."

Kingsley was thunderstruck; here were two of the most powerful Dark wizards in the world and they were essentially denouncing their 'birthright'. They were telling him that they wished for the war to end, but how could he trust them. "How can I trust you? How can anyone trust you?" he said, the emotion within him attempting to free itself.

"I trust them."

Kingsley looked to Hermione, and could have sworn he saw the most truthful face in the world. "Why do you trust them, when I cannot?"

"Because, if they were lying, they would have killed me instantly when they first met me;" Hermione said, mentally pleading with Kingsley. "I believe there is some good in both of them, and that they truly regret what they have done in the past."

Kingsley pondered this for a minute, before deciding that she was right. "Alright, Hermione, I believe them. But I don't think the Order would like this situation."

"My Death Eaters weren't too fond of the notion either," Voldemort offered, and Kingsley let out a small chuckle. "But what is done is done. We need to stop Potter before he reveals us to the entire Muggle world."

"You're right," Kingsley agreed. "If Harry has truly lost it, then it isn't just our two organisations that are in danger, the entire Wizarding world would be revealed from his actions."

"It almost was." Hermione held up a small television, charmed to run without electricity, and it was broadcasting the national news.

"_**... Our top story tonight: the mysterious fire that broke out in Central London has been extinguished, but what puzzles local fire-fighters is not how the fire started, but where. Sources from the fire department say that the building where the most intense flames were emanating appeared to belong to a mysterious cult, and they also appear to have found people dressed in robes; probable members of this mystery cult, dead and burnt. We will update you as soon as information becomes available. In other news..."**_

Hermione turned the television off and looked at Kingsley. As their eyes met, he realised that they meant what they had said about a truce, and that they at least had to try. "We will need a suitable meeting place; not too small, easy to conceal from Muggles, and easy for the Organisations to access."

"I know; the church near to Riddle Mansion!" Voldemort said. "The church is pretty old, so a simple concealment charm will prevent Muggles from seeing us, and it is a very big area so everyone will be able to fit."

"Not to mention that we could put an anti-spellcasting jinx within the church walls, so no one can 'accidentally' attack another," Hermione added.

"Sounds good to me. Tell everyone to meet at noon tomorrow at the church," Kingsley said, to which the others agreed. He sent his lynx Patronus to the Order members, who were informed of the unusual meeting place, while Voldemort messaged his active Death Eaters the same message. Hermione sent an astral dream to Ron, telling him the same message as the others.

The stage was set.

The meeting was decided.

Fate was ready to intervene.

xxxx

**The Next Day**

Voldemort had insisted on his party arriving to the site early, primarily to fortify the church, but also to be the first to greet any onlookers. Bellatrix was busying herself with the protection and concealment charms surrounding the church, while Hermione was creating the jinx that would protect them from each other. She also had her beaded bag, filled with all of her essentials; more importantly, it held the Sword of Gryffindor, which Bella had let her keep hold of; and she wanted to not be forced to use it. Magic was bad enough to contain, but weapons would be too much.

Kingsley , Wormtail and Voldemort were preparing the seats in the congregation for the respective groups when the first invitees arrived: the Malfoys, Carrows and Snape all Apparated into the courtyard to greet their Dark Lord, when they noticed Kingsley standing next to him. Lucius and the Carrows were ready to attack, but a simple glance from Voldemort, along with words from Draco and Snape respectively negated their responses.

Next to arrive were the Weasley clan: Fred and George, Arthur and Molly, Fleur and Bill, and strangely enough, Percy, who looked rather worse for wear. Again, the adults were on guard, but Kingsley convinced them otherwise. The cycle continued with Greyback arriving with some Death Eaters, followed by Tonks and Remus; before long, the entire congregation was filled with Death Eaters and Phoenixes galore. Last to arrive were Ron and Vernon, who Hermione immediately embraced.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed as she pounced on him, knocking him off balance. "Where the bloody hell have you been!"

"I'll tell you later," she replied, before hugging Vernon also. "Right now, we have a meeting to be a part of." She led the two inside the barrier, where the first signs of arguments were brewing, mostly between Remus and Bill against Greyback.

"Why the fuck do we have to cooperate with this animal!" Remus yelled.

"He has caused the two of us nothing but grief. Why don't you just fucking die, Greyback!" Bill yelled as well.

"I could always just kill you both now and have my fill," Greyback growled back, before their argument was abruptly stopped by Voldemort and Kingsley's appearances in front of them. Considering the seating was in a U-shape, with a gap at the base for people to walk down, Greyback had positioned himself to cause as much tension as possible, something which Voldemort was quick to notice.

"That's quite enough, Greyback. Calm yourself," he spoke. Greyback took heed and sat back down, the urge to argue suppressed by the fear of the Dark Lord.

The congregation was now silent as the meeting started. Voldemort first explained why they had been called together, and asked that they cooperate with each other to defeat Harry. Most of the Phoenixes, save for Ron and Vernon were in uproar over the request, while several members of the Death Eaters were expressing their opinions as well. When Kingsley explained what happened in the Ministry as being Harry's fault, that was when the curses would have started flying, however due to Hermione's jinx, they could not even spout out of the end of their wands, to the chagrin of the users.

Hermione was about to start speaking about how Harry had started his quest for power, when an eerie smoke started to fill the church. Everybody except Hermione found that they couldn't move a muscle, but they could still talk.

"What's going on?" Kingsley yelled, bound in place, just like Voldemort next to him. He struggled in vain to move, something was binding his body in place. Something powerful.

"Who is responsible for this!" Voldemort yelled, and he got his answer a lot sooner than he wished.

"I am."

Everyone looked over to Hermione, who was now emanating a smoky aura, with a glazed look in her eyes. Clearly someone was possessing her, but they were unsure of how. That is, until a smoky apparition appeared behind her.

An apparition of Harry Potter.

"You have all betrayed me," Hermione said, now fully possessed she sounded just like he did. "By coming to this meeting, you have shown that there is no place for the Order of the Phoenix in my new world." Every member of the Order was stunned at what he was saying. "Now, because of your betrayal you must all pay the ultimate price. As must you, Death Eaters." With this Hermione turned to their portion of the church. "You had so much promise, you could have ruled the world under my control, but now you face the same fate."

"How could you do this, Potter!" Voldemort said as Hermione turned to him now.

"Easy, I have the Elder Wand. I am the Master of Death. My word is my law. And there is nothing that anyone can do about it. Not even you, Voldemort." With this last statement, the ghostly apparition of Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort, and Hermione did the same. "Crucio!" the red bold erupted not from Harry's wand, but from Hermione's hands, and the raw power of the curse sent Voldemort flying in pain.

"Harry! Please stop this! This has gone too far!" Ron yelled from beside Percy and Arthur. Immediately, Harry and Hermione turned to face him.

"You really think that I will stop attacking the man who killed my family?" he asked. "He deserves everything that he will get and more. I have more power than any wizard that ever lived, and ever will live!" He pointed his wand at Ron this time and he began levitating out of his chair, before Harry Crucioed him. "Perhaps the first blood spilt today should be the blood of the traitorous Weasleys," he said, to the shock of everyone present. Molly even started crying in her bound state. Ron meanwhile was levitated onto the crucifix that Harry had broken off of the church plinth. He then magically bound Ron to it so that he now resembled how Christ looked in the religious images.

"Hermione, I think it would be best if he was killed without magic," he said softly, his apparition stroking Hermione's cheek. Hermione nodded, and proceeded to open up her bag, before drawing the Sword of Gryffindor from it, to the obvious shock of the congregation.

"Hermione, please don't," Ron pleaded as Hermione walked in front of him.

"Crucio!" yelled Harry, and Hermione pointed the sword at Ron, the magical goblin metal amplifying the spell and causing a lot more pain than normal.

"AAAARRRGGGH!" Ron screamed as he was hit by the amplified curse. Now he knew how Hermione had felt when he cursed her all those months ago. He glanced around and in his pain he saw his family, heads down; Molly Weasley bawling her eyes out, Voldemort in a pile of rubble, and the Death Eaters all hanging their heads in disbelief.

Finally he looked at Hermione, and noticed a tiny spot of red in her otherwise white frosted eyes. "Please," he pleaded weakly, as Harry released him from the curse.

"Please stop this, Hermione!" Bellatrix yelled from behind Ron, and Hermione turned to face her.

"To think, Hermione was in love with you, Lestrange," he said, his voice mocking her pride. "A mudblood in love with a pure blood, how pathetic. You will be second to die, for what you did to Sirius." Harry made Hermione point the sword at her and cast the curse once more, but Bellatrix closed her eyes and braced herself for a pain that was not to come. When she opened them, the wall behind her had taken the attack, and was now a load of rubble.

"What?" she said aloud, before Harry cut her off.

"HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME!" his voice boomed from the apparition now, not from Hermione, and he pointed his smoky wand at her and cast a new curse at her: "Dolore Electrica!" A blue lightning engulfed Hermione and she screamed, her body wracked with pain from the electrocution. When it subsided, she collapsed to the floor, the sword clattering beside her. "If you will not do it, I will." He turned and cursed Bellatrix with the exact same spell, and Hermione saw her lover tortured before her very eyes; the blue lightning surging through every fibre of her body. She looked over to everyone else in the church, before a single tear fell from her eyes. No matter what, no one was going to suffer because of her, that much was certain.

"Now then, slave," Harry said, addressing Hermione now as Bellatrix crumpled to the floor; "I will make sure you do exactly what I say. Imperio!" Hermione was bathed in an eerie sensation, as he wasn't controlling her like a normal Imperius, he was now in complete control of her body.

'_I have to fight this. I cannot hurt them for him. He is my enemy._' She kept attempting to repeat this in her head, and each time, the hold over her was challenged, but Harry still stood strong.

"There is no use fighting, now finish the job." Hermione picked up the sword and moved to where Ron was suspended.

'_I can't let people die because of me._'

"Let it be known, this is what happens to people who oppose me."

'_I can't let him win._'

"They will meet their demise, by my hand."

'_I can't let him control me._'

"For I am the Master of Death, and all who oppose me will meet this fate."

'_I **won't** let him control me._'

"Hermione," Bellatrix said, extremely weak and drained from the curse but able to move her arms. "Hermione please, do what you truly think is right." She looked right into Hermione's eyes, and a memory erupted into her mind.

'_And I know just how to stop him..._'

"Enough chit chat, end his wretched life, slave!" Harry ordered.

Hermione raised the sword and held it above her head, as if ready to strike her friend. Death Eaters and Phoenixes looked away from the scene, while Ron just braced himself for death.

Except it didn't. Hermione was struggling to bring the sword down on her friend, and as he opened his eyes, he saw that her eyes were no longer white, but were in fact a burning red, like the rage within her was building, trying to force Harry out.

"DO IT!" Harry screamed, but his order fell on deaf ears. Hermione was fighting him to the very core, and no matter how hard he tried to bring that sword down, she would not budge.

"You will not control me anymore, Harry James Potter," she said in an almost monotone version of her own voice, and a red aura started to emanate from within her, its power attempting to drive out Harry.

"YOU WILL NOT DEFY ME!" he screamed as he attempted to regain control of her by cursing her, but the aura shielded her from his attacks.

"You will not make me kill my friends, my family, my whole world." Blasts of energy emitted from Hermione, striking Harry square in the chest, and causing his hold on her to decrease more and more.

"NO!" He screamed, and his spectre blasted into Hermione, and now in 'complete control' of Hermione he raised the sword up, ready to strike.

'_Got you Potter..._'

"Any last words, Ron Weasley," Harry said as he raised the sword to above his head.

Ron looked into the eyes in front of him, and in that instant saw exactly what Hermione had planned for Harry. The sword was pulsating a vivid blood red colour, the same colour that Bellatrix's knife did the first time.

"Yeah," came the reply, from the same mouth no less. Hermione gripped the sword tightly and plunged it into her own abdomen, casting the strongest spell she knew: "CRUCIO MAXIMA!"

The red aura surrounding Hermione exploded, Harry's spectre writhing in pain, the added bonus of his soul being in contact with the basilisk infused sword caused the fragment of Voldemort's soul within him to be obliterated. The blast wave also knocked everyone back, destroying the chairs and most of the church. As Harry's apparition vanished, the spell binding all of the other wizards and witches was removed, allowing them free movement. It also restored their energy, as Ron was able to hug his family; but it wasn't until he realised what Bellatrix was holding did he realise the extent of what had happened. "Hermione!"

Hermione was lying in a pool of blood, the sword having pierced her entirely, and Bella was cradling her, soothing her and pleading with her not to die. "Please, please don't die Miney!" she cried as Hermione's pulse started to weaken.

"Bella," Hermione said weakly, "It was the only way to save you and Ron. I... I love you, my Bella..." she then passed out in her lover's arms, and Ron started to cradle her as well.

"There must be a way to save her, Bellatrix!" Ron said, barely able to contain his emotions.

"I... I don't know if there is one, she has lost a lot of blood, even if there was, she would die before we were able to save her." She started to cry over her lover's lifeless body, and even though she was just within an inch from death, she could not give up. "My Lord, surely there must be a way to save her life."

"There is..." came a reply, not from Voldemort, but from Snape. "We must act quickly though if we are to succeed, and all the equipment we need is in your manor."

"You don't mean..." Bella said, before summoning Claire to the church. "Claire, I need a mass Apparition to Lestrange Manor and I need it now!" she yelled to her house elf, who by now was aware of the gravity of the situation she had landed in.

"At once, my lady," she said and took Voldemort's hand. "Everybody join hands, quickly," she ordered, and immediately, the entire crowd joined hands and concentrated. They Apparated to the manor, where while most of the people were confused as to why they were there, Voldemort, Bella and Snape were quickly gathering the materials necessary to save Hermione's life.

"While I was at Hogwarts, Trelawney made a prophecy, a prophecy referring to Potter, and the Trinity that will have the power to defeat him. I believe it refers to you three," Snape said, as Voldemort and Bellatrix listened in amazement. "The Trinity of Truth, Ideals and Power."

As they made their way to the Sitting Room where Hermione lay motionless, Voldemort asked Bella a question that made her stop in her tracks. "Are you really in love with her, Bellatrix?"

"I love her like no other before her, not even Rodolphus compares to her. I would do anything to save her life. Even this." Voldemort looked at his most trusted ally, and smiled.

"Then let's do this, Bella."

xxxx

When Hermione woke up, she was in a white space, with no other people near her. She got to her feet and looked round. No one there. Then she looked at her body, which was covered in a black dress. She traced the outline of where the sword had entered her abdomen, but there was no wound there. There wasn't even any wounds that were caused by Bellatrix.

Bellatrix.

When her thoughts turned to her lover, she looked round, trying desperately to find her.

"You were so brave, Miney," her soft voice floated towards her and she turned round to be greeted by her lover.

"Bella!" the witch embraced her counterpart in one of the most intense kisses she had ever given to her. As they released each other, she looked at Bella, and didn't see a single scratch on her, and she started to cry. "I'm sorry Bella, I'm so so sorry."

"Don't apologise, Miney, besides, you look good in that dress." Hermione looked at her and saw that she was in an almost identical dress to her own.

"Where are we, Bella?" she said finally, as the two began to wander the vast white plane.

"We are in your mind, Hermione Granger," a third voice said, and the two witches turned to see a man, with a black suit and matching black hair addressing them. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle."


	15. The Trinity Awakes

**Hiya guys, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing my story, it really helps boost my confidence in my writing abilities. I also have a few announcements to make.**

**Firstly, I will only be updating every Friday from now on due to the fact that I have restarted University, and second I am not sure how long I should make this story. Granted, I never expected that it would last this long, but again, thanks to all of you, this has been made possible. Finally, I will not be updating this coming Friday (30th Sept) on account of it being my birthday :-D **

**Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

"Tom Riddle," Hermione repeated, "as in the schoolboy who became Voldemort?" She shuddered upon uttering the name, as even though she had never actually spoke the name in front of Bellatrix it was still unnerving to do so; something which Tom and Bellatrix picked up on.

"Yes, I would become Voldemort," Tom said as he approached Hermione and Bellatrix; "but that is all in the past now." He gently took Hermione's face in his hand, and looked at her, as she looked at him. He was incredibly handsome for a man who could very well be in his 70s, and even though he was an accomplished Dark Wizard, she could not see anything that would outwardly suggest it. His snake-like features were gone, as were his red eyes; in their place were his boyhood brown eyes. His face no longer had its marble colour to it, but a healthy rose tinge to his skin; a normal colour to many people. Indeed, everything that she saw indicated that this was not the man who she once feared.

"How? What happened?" Hermione finally asked as the three walked towards a trio of marble seats. "We were in the church, next minute we end up here."

"Well," Bellatrix said, cupping Hermione's hand gently; "Harry located us in the church. He possessed you and made you attack everyone else. He wanted you to kill all those who 'betrayed' him."

"That was when he made you pick up the sword, and he wanted you to kill your best friend," Tom continued, sitting on Hermione's opposite side. "But you were too strong for him. You stabbed yourself as he took full possession of you. You forced him out, by torturing yourself."

"Crucio maxima..." Hermione said, glancing to Bellatrix, who nodded her head in affirmation.

"You used the same curse that I used on you back in Malfoy Manor," Bella said, gripping Hermione's hand affectionately. "When you did, something happened to Potter, like he was in mortal agony.

"It wasn't just him, Bellatrix," Tom said. "The fragment of my soul residing within Potter was obliterated, causing him a lot of pain. Our connection is gone, and more than likely Hermione's connection to him too."

"There is still one thing I don't get," Hermione said, getting to her feet. "If we are in my mind, does that mean that I died in the church?"

"Not quite," Bellatrix replied. "You collapsed and we did all that we could to save you, but we had no other choice."

"We included you in the Ritual, Hermione," Tom said. "We used your blood as well as our blood to form the immortal blood. All three of us are now immortal, and it gave me the added effect of restoring my youthful image."

"No disrespect, but I prefer this you to the old you," Hermione said, and the three started laughing together.

"Fair enough, my dear," Tom said after the three had finished laughing. "Now, I think it is time to go home, wouldn't you agree, Bellatrix?"

"Yep," she said cheerily, and Hermione smiled, because she had never seen Bellatrix this happy in the few months that they had spent together. "I just want Hermione back with me."

"And I want her, happy and cheery, OK Bella?" Hermione said, and Bellatrix simply answered her with a massive hug.

"Alright, if you both take my hands we can get out of here," Tom said, offering his hands for the two girls to take. "On three. One. Two. Three!" He concentrated and the three whisked off in a trail of black smoke back into reality.

* * *

Hermione awoke to silence. Considering where she was before, she imagined that the moment she came back to reality would be a happy occasion, at least for the Order. Instead, she heard no one. She opened her eyes and looked around, and she saw in a corner of the room Ron and Claire, sound asleep in an armchair. _'Typical Ron_,' she thought. _'Sleep first and ask questions later_.' She tried to get out of the bed, but then her gut started to hurt considerably. She tore off the duvet to find her entire midriff was bandaged, and those bandages were fresh. She hesitantly stroked where the pain was coming from, and a jolt coursed through her torso. "Ow!" she yelped, waking Ron and Claire up, the latter almost being tossed halfway across the room.

"Wuzzgoinon?" Ron groggily asked, before he realised that Hermione was awake. "Hermione!" he gasped before rushing to her bedside. "How are you feeling? Did Bellatrix hurt you? Where did she take you?"

"Easy Ron, it's good to see you too," she replied, before pulling downwards and giving him a hug. "I missed you so much. Let's see, I'm feeling fine, no she doesn't hurt me and she brought me here."

"Huh?" Ron said, clearly confused.

"Your questions; 'How am I feeling,' fine. 'Does she hurt me,' no. 'Where did she bring me,' here." She sighed, _'why is it always this difficult with him._'

"Why don't you ask him?" Bellatrix said from the doorway.

Hermione blushed, not only was she in bed with her friend inches from her, but Bellatrix had read her mind without her even realising. "You, you know it is rude to er... erm... read people's minds without permission," she stammered, while both Ron and Bellatrix started to laugh.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Ron said with a grin, "Bellatrix filled me in on what happened. She also told me what you meant when you told her you loved her." Ron's tone went very dark very quickly, and that worried Hermione. She had already lost one friend; she didn't want to lose another. "Why didn't you say anything after the Malfoy Manor incident? You could have contacted me, let me know you were alright; I've just been so worried about you. Then I find out you are sleeping with a Death Eater, no disrespect Bellatrix."

"None taken, Weasley," Bellatrix replied, not sure where Ron was taking this tirade.

"You wouldn't understand, Ron," Hermione said, tears slowly falling down her face. "It's not that I didn't want to contact you, nor is it because I couldn't find you. It's just, when she brought me here, we connected. It's like we were meant to be together, and maybe it took Harry cursing me to realise that." She was now flooding tears, and emotions were rising higher and higher within her. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you Ron. I'm sorry you had to find out about us like this. But right now, all I want is Bella. She is the one person I want right now. I love her, Ron; and I'm sorry things didn't work out the way we would have wanted them to, but this is the way things are. You need to accept them, Ron."

Ron stood silent, as Bella knelt down next to Hermione and comforted her. "It's gonna be alright Miney, you'll see," she whispered to her lover.

"Look after her Bellatrix," Ron finally said, his head still down and his voice still dark. "I still love her, but if she wants you, then I won't stop her. But you need to protect her, especially from Harry." Bellatrix looked at him, and saw that he was looking back at her. "If I know Harry, he will be looking for another way to get to you all, so protect her from him."

"What about you?" Hermione asked as he headed for the door.

"I need to protect my family. That includes everyone at Hogwarts." He turned round and looked at Hermione, who for once was lost for words. "Snape and I are heading back there to protect everyone, because I know for a fact he is going to be looking for support, and that will be the first place that he will look.

"Alright, I believe in you Ron," Hermione said, and with Ron acknowledging it with a single nod, he left the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Hermione had recovered enough energy to head downstairs into the dining room, but considering it was around 8pm, no one was there but Claire. "Hey Claire," she said to the house elf, who ran over and hugged her legs with glee.

"Why did you come down, Mistress Hermione?" Claire asked.

"Well, I was a bit lonely upstairs, and I wanted to stretch my legs. That and I'm a little bit hungry!" she replied with a grin. "Why don't you join me?"

"I would love to, Hermione." Claire grabbed some crackers and cheese from the pantry before heading to the table where Hermione had sat down.

"So, how long was I asleep for?" Hermione asked as she began to nibble on some cheese.

"Almost a week. We weren't sure if you were going to pull through, but that Weasley boy, he never left your side," Claire responded. "He even had an argument with his parents, saying that he wasn't going to leave until you awoke. He really cared for you, and although it probably isn't my place to say, he probably loved you because of the dedication he showed."

Hermione sat in silence, deep in thought. _'He really did care about me, and I shunned him away_,' she thought. _'How could I be so cold to him, so cruel, so...'_

"Like me?" Bellatrix said as she walked into the dining room. "I'm sorry about reading your mind again, Miney, but you really need to start practicing. As for Weasley, you and him were 'together' long before we were together. I saw that much when you were at the Ministry 2 years ago. He would have defended you with such passion, almost as much as he defended Potter. It was clear to me that he was infatuated with you, but you remained ignorant of this." Hermione sat silently, taking in Bellatrix's observations. She didn't want to believe she had been oblivious to his feelings, but perhaps it had been more complex than that.

"I, I'm not really certain what my feelings were towards Ron. Certainly I loved him like a brother, as I did Harry; but I thought he only loved me back the same way, like a sister. As for Harry, he was in love with Ron's sister, Ginny, not me. I had nobody, and in a way, I liked that. I liked the fact that I wasn't pining over anyone, that I didn't have anyone distracting me from my studies. But maybe that's where I went wrong."

"It's the choices we make that define who we are, Hermione," Tom said as he entered the room and stood behind Bellatrix. "No matter what, you can't change the past, and I for one regret what I have done, killing so many people, hurting countless lives beyond repair. Sometimes I wondered, 'Is it really the right thing to do?' But for everybody I had to lead, I simply had to grin and bear it." Bella looked at him, and for once she appeared deep in thought, something which was unusual even by her standards.

"That Ritual did more than just grant immortality, Tom;" Bellatrix said. "It has combined each of our main facets of our collective personalities. For me, I feel more sure of myself than I have in a long while, and more logical than ever. I have noticed that you are a lot more remorseful than you have been these past few years, and as for Miney, she exhibits a lot of our dark qualities. Maybe what Snape said was true;" the others looked at her curiously. "The Trinity of Ideals, Power and Truth; it applies to the three of us. Tom represents Power, while I represent Ideals."

"Leaving me with Truth?" Hermione responded, not sure what to make of the statement. "Am I really that truthful?"

"Well, you did pretty much send Ron packing with some choice words, and everything you have told us about Potter has been correct," Bellatrix replied. "As for Tom, he is one of the strongest wizards in the entire world; he certainly has a claim to the title 'Power'."

"Then that leaves you, Bellatrix," Tom said. "You and your ideals. Do you still believe in pure blood supremacy, like you did all those years ago?" he asked her.

"I did, until I met Hermione," she said, and she looked into Hermione's eyes and saw that Hermione believed her. "I fell in love with her, she and I connected that day. I'm not sure what it was, but after Rodolphus's passing, I never thought I would feel anything like that again. And yet here we are, my ideals shaken to the very core, new ones forming every day I spend with her." She walked over to Hermione, and gave her a kiss, full on the lips; which Hermione reciprocated in kind. After a few seconds the two parted, before Bellatrix turned and walked over to the doorway. "And I don't regret any of it," she said before winking at Hermione and gliding off to bed.


	16. A Lover's Remorse

**Hello readers, and welcome to the next chapter of Choices. I warn you now, there will be some M scenes in here, so read at your own risk ;-)**

"Hermione?" Tom Riddle peered around the door to the library to see a concentrating Hermione surrounded by a lot of levitating books. He slowly walked into the dark room, and was about to touch one of the floating books when Hermione opened her eyes and the books fell to the floor.

"Hi Tom," Hermione said as she stifled a yawn, before getting to her feet. "What brings you in here?"

"Claire asked me to find you, she said that dinner was almost ready," came his reply. "Have you had any luck?" he inquired.

"No, I haven't. It's like he just disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"Well, I think he is going to turn up eventually. It doesn't feel like he has died. Not yet anyway," Tom said.

It had been 2 months since Hermione had first arrived at Lestrange Manor, and she had instantly fallen in love with its library, among other things. In the days where her lover Bellatrix was away, like she was today, she found herself reading the books in the library, and soon found that she was learning a lot more than she would had she gone to Hogwarts for her 7th year.

In the two weeks since the Ritual occurred and, since Hermione woke up; Harry was nowhere to be seen. No matter what they tried, whether it was searching the mountains or scouring the seas, nobody, not even Hermione could find him. Because of the relative safety of the situation, Acting Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt was able to convince the Muggle Prime Minister to allow use of the Canary Wharf basement level as a temporary Ministry of Magic, while the old Ministry would be repaired. In the meantime, Snape and Ron were busy protecting Hogwarts from possible attacks; Snape raised the protective spells around the castle amid rumours that Harry would oust him from power, while Ron covertly protected any hidden entrances via a version of the Marauder's map created by Lupin, this version was more up to date than its 30 year old brother, showing more hidden entrances and even indicated where unplottable locale were.

Today though, Hermione was not concerned with the _Magicks Most Potente_ 5th edition book that had interested her over the past month, rather she wanted (nay needed) to find out where Harry was, and what he was planning. Yet in the 6 hours she had sat in the library, allowing her magic to flow unimpeded, she was unable to find even the slighted flicker of Harry's life. It was a fact that she really did not want to understand, but in the same breath she needed to know why after all this she couldn't find him.

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" Tom asked as she slowly ate her dinner. He noted that since he had started staying here, he had seen several instances of what Hermione was like, this not being one of them.

"It's nothing," Hermione responded, not even bothering to look up.

"You know, I could always read your mind, and find out that way," he teased back, hoping it would provoke her into telling what she needed to say. It worked.

"Why do you care how I feel or what I think!" she yelled at him, not caring anymore. "Why is it that you can just read someone's mind and that instantly makes it simple? This time it isn't so simple as saying it." She calmed down now and started to eat once more.

"Explain it then," Tom offered.

"Fine." She stopped eating and paused to think of where to start. "Ever since I got here, Harry has been a constant thought in my mind; where he is, what he is planning, why he is planning it. All I know is that he simply disappeared two weeks ago; he simply vanished at the church. And that doesn't sit right with me, Tom. I know in my gut he is still out there, but no matter how hard I try, he is evading my searches, my thoughts. Like he doesn't want me to find him."

"You need to stop worrying, Hermione," he replied. "When the time is right, he will reveal himself once more. Remember though, you have beaten him twice, so naturally he will fear you, so he is more than likely avoiding your detection for that very reason."

"I guess," she replied. "See you later, Tom." She got up and headed for the door.

"What about your dinner?" Tom asked.

"I guess I'm not very hungry at the moment."

Hermione headed to the bedroom and focused her mind, scouring the planet for any infinitesimally small trace of Harry Potter. But for an entire hour, she had no luck. Neither Harry, nor his Elder Wand, could be found, and this worried Hermione.

* * *

"So this is where you have been hiding, Miney."

"Bella!" Hermione got up and hugged her lover tightly, relishing it since she had been away all day.

"My, aren't you affectionate, love. What has you so upset?" she inquired.

"I can't find Harry, and it is tearing me up inside because he is deliberately hiding himself from me."

Bella closed the door, before enveloping Hermione in a gigantic bear hug, lifting her up off her feet. The then proceeded to carry her over to the bed, before lying on top of her and planting her face and neck with dozens of affectionate kisses.

"Bella, I need you; now more than ever," Hermione breathed.

"Alright my love," Bella replied, slowly pulling Hermione's top off using her teeth, before nibbling at her erect nipples through her bra. She sneaked a hand down to Hermione's pants, and while Hermione was preoccupied with her nipples being munched on, Bella slowly circled her lover's clit through the thin panties.

"Oooooohh!" Hermione moaned, as Bella started to systematically increase her techniques, first removing the obtrusive garments, and then attacking the bare flesh, not too hard, but not too soft. She sucked on the erect pair of nipples, while circling Hermione's clit, occasionally dipping into the wet folds for some much needed lubrication. Suddenly, Hermione jumped up, knocking Bellatrix onto her back, before straddling her face. "I need you. In me. Now," she ordered, lowering her glistening mound to her lover's face; giving Bellatrix no other option but to lick her. As she did this, Hermione removed Bellatrix's clothing, but rather than removing it manually, she opted for a very interesting spell she had read, and by not speaking it, Bella wouldn't see it coming.

"Ahhhhh!" Bella cried out from under Hermione, as little static shocks of increasing power coursed through her body, emanating from each piece of clothing Hermione removed. Bzzt. "Ahhh!" she cried out once more as Hermione zapped away her dress and corset, leaving only a black bra and matching thong.

"You like this spell, Bella?" Hermione mused, circling Bella's erect nipples before zapping away the bra, eliciting another yelp from the older witch. "Your nipples seem to agree," Hermione chuckled before starting to nibble on Bella's breasts, alternating between biting and sucking each one. As she did so she placed her hand on Bella's pussy, soaked due to the electroshock clothing removal, and started to rub up and down the black thong, all the while Bellatrix was moaning and panting into Hermione's own soaked cunt.

"Holy fucking hell!" she cried out as the final piece of her clothing was removed, accompanied by a very large dose of electricity. Dazed she lay back onto the bed, giving Hermione the chance to attack. She quickly pushed three fingers into Bellatrix's soaked pussy, quickly pumping in and out, while using her free hand to continuously stroke Bella's clit. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by Bellatrix, who made a redoubled effort to attack Hermione's pussy, and attack she did – by ramming an entire fist up Hermione's pussy.

"Aaahh!" Hermione gasped at the sudden intrusion, giving the opening Bella had been waiting for. Using her free hand, she grabbed Hermione by the waist and rolled over, so once again she was in the dominant position.

"Sorry, Miney," she said sweetly,"but I have a surprise in store for you..." She grabbed a robe and quickly dashed downstairs, before swiftly returning with her prize, a red leather choker, beautifully adorned with small assorted jewels, ranging from amethysts to emeralds, and even a few rubies.

"It's beautiful Bella!" Hermione gasped as she was presented with the gift. She allowed Bella to put it on her naked body, before standing up to admire it in the mirror. "Thank you so much! I love it!"

"I thought you might," Bella chuckled, before shedding the robe; "then again, maybe you would like this even more." Hermione looked in the mirror to see what Bella was referring to, although she need not have bothered, since Bellatrix was already sliding her jet black cock between Hermione's soaked thighs.

"Please Bella," Hermione gasped as Bellatrix slid her cock between her moist thighs, "put it in me, quickly."

Bellatrix grinned, "You need only ask." She positioned the cock around Hermione's pussy, and in one swift motion entered her completely doggy-style, gaining a small yelp of approval in the process. She slowly withdrew her cock, making Hermione moan even more, before swiftly plunging back inside when she had almost exited her. This way, she could torture Hermione without causing her any pain, which was mutually beneficial for both of them.

"More Bella," Hermione panted after what seemed like an age of Bella teasing her. "Give me everything you've got!"

The older witch simply grinned in triumph, and started to aggressively pump into Hermione's cunt, pushing further and further inside with each stroke, and allowing Hermione to cry out in pleasure each time. Bella knew she loved being the submissive one, always allowing others to control her, so maybe for once she would allow Hermione to be in control of the pace. She picked up Hermione and turned her around on her cock so that she was now face to face with her, this new sensation also causing Hermione some unexpected jolt of pleasure. She then proceeded to passionately kiss her neck and lips as she carried Hermione over to the bed, before turning around and falling onto it onto her back, with Hermione lying on top of her.

"What are you planning?" Hermione asked coyly in between kisses. Her hands wrapped around Bella's ebony locks, pushing their two heads together to cement the kissing deadlock.

_'I would tell you, but my mouth is preoccupied right now,_' Bella's voice echoed in Hermione's head.

Hermione released Bellatrix's mouth from her own and sat up straighter, still impaled on her lover's cock, but not moving. Instead, she had grabbed Bella's nipples and had started to tug on them, almost attempting to rip them off, even; and seemed to be quite annoyed, judging from her facial expression in front of Bella's eyes. "You know I don't like you penetrating my mind, Bellatrix," every word she said was accompanied by a small pinch on each nipple, causing Bella some discomfort.

"You seem to enjoy me penetrating you everywhere else though!" Bella laughed, before immediately getting her left tit bitten quite forcefully in punishment. "Oww! What was that for?"

"You need to be punished, my dear," Hermione said sweetly, rocking her hips around her lover's cock as she did so; "because I have let you get away with this for so long." She muttered something under her breath, and a purple orb appeared in her right hand, from which what could only be described as a tentacle emerged. "And I think my new friend here might be able to help me."

Bella realised what Hermione had planned and played along. "Yes, my Mistress, I do need to be punished. Please punish me!" she grinned, and was immediately met with Hermione whipping her tits with the lilac tentacle, each hit causing her to jump and flinch, while at the same time causing Hermione pleasure from the constant movement within her.

"Now then Bella..." Hermione whispered as she leant in, so that Bellatrix could feel her cool breath on her cheek. "Are you sure you want this in you?" She gestured to the tentacle slowly making its way to Bella's ass.

"Yes Hermione, I want it!" Bella cried out.

"But **where** do you want it?" Hermione teased; she wanted Bella to beg for this for once.

"Please, I want it in my ass!" she cried out once more, and got her ass smacked in response.

"You need only ask, Bella," Hermione replied, echoing Bella's earlier comment, and thrust the tentacle into Bella's ass, granting her lover an intense wave of pain and pleasure to burst over her. Hermione started to bounce up and down, riding the cock embedded within her cunt, all the while fucking Bella's ass with the tentacle. As her orgasm came closer and closer, she leant in to Bella's face and kissed her intensely. She wanted to savour this night so much, she would have given anything to keep this moment indefinitely.

_'I love you, Hermione Granger_,' Bella's voice echoed in her mind, and for once, Hermione didn't care, because both their orgasms were just seconds away.

_'I love you too Bellatrix Lestrange!_' she mentally replied, still lip locked, and in that instant they both simultaneously orgasmed; Bella could feel the tentacle squirming wildly inside her ass, causing wave after wave of intense pleasure to envelop her, while she could feel her seed flow into Hermione. Both of them simply held onto each other; neither moving, only kissing, savouring this moment of intense lovemaking.

Eventually, Hermione slipped off of Bellatrix, and lay down on the bed, swiftly falling asleep in post-orgasmic bliss. Bella however got up and put on a black dressing gown, and proceeded to the door.

"Where are you going, Bella?" Hermione asked as she saw her lover glide towards the door.

"I'm just going downstairs for a snack. I won't be long, Miney," Bella assured her. Hermione nodded and went back to sleep, and Bellatrix quickly moved back to the bed to give her lover a peck on the forehead, before leaving the room. She closed the door as silently as she could before making her way to the dining room.

"Well, did it work?" Tom inquired as he saw Bellatrix enter the room.

"I hope so, Tom," she replied, taking the cup of coffee off of the counter. "I hope so."

* * *

Hermione woke with a start, something didn't feel right. For one, she was positively freezing, and there was no wonder, all she had on were her bra and panties. Second, she was in a very dark corridor, with no light or sound to be found around her. "Lumos." Her right hand became illuminated, and she studied her surroundings. It appeared that she was in some kind of tunnel, since the walls around her were slightly concave, and fairly damp. She conjured a warm gown for herself before she started to walk down the tunnel. What she kept wondering was whether she was really there physically, or whether this was her astral projection. She soon found her answer, when she stepped into a part of the tunnel which had a turn off into a pipeline. As she walked past it, she stepped into a shallow puddle of water, causing her to quickly dry herself off before casting a floatation charm on herself.

She continued her trek into the depths of the tunnel system, passing several blocked openings, before finally arriving at a large ornate door, decorated with serpents. 'Speak our tongue to grant your passage,' the door was inscribed with.

_'It means Parseltongue, Hermione_,' Tom's voice said within her mind. _'Since you have my blood within you, you can speak it. Just say the word open and it will translate,'_ he instructed.

Hermione placed her left hand on the door, and concentrated. "Open." Immediately a serpent appeared and started to encircle the door's perimeter, causing the snakes on the face of the door to recede. She moved back as the snake completed its journey and the door opened. Hermione stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The next room she was in was vaguely familiar to her. There was a green marble floor, and water canals adorning either side of a walkway. In each canal was the ornate sculpture of a serpent's head, and at the far end of the room was a massive white marble sculpture of a man who seemed very familiar.

"That's Salazar Slytherin!" she gasped, and instinctively walked towards the face. As she did so, she looked around and saw that there was no life around here, everything was a statue. Then she noted the pile of bones in the middle of the antechamber, in front of the face of Sytherin. Only then did she realise where she was. "If this is the Basilisk, then I must be in the Chamber of Secrets!"

"Well deduced Hermione." Harry Potter stepped out from the shadows, not menacingly, but calmly.

"What are you doing here, Harry?" she said, unsure whether to be angry or scared.

"I came here to recuperate, since it is the best hiding spot," he replied. "Hide in plain sight. Nobody would suspect that I am 1000 feet below them, in the Chamber. Not even the Dark Lord could imagine I was hiding here."

"Alright then," Hermione conceded, still with her arms raised defensively. "Why am I here?"

"I brought you here to apologise and warn you." Hermione was stunned. Why would Harry apologise, he was the enemy. "I'm sorry for torturing you that day, for driving you away. I didn't realise why I had done it until I gained possession of the Elder Wand. It appears that Death possessed me once I had all three Hallows."

"What do you mean 'Death possessed you'?" Hermione asked.

Almost as if on cue, Harry doubled over in pain, clutching his chest. "Stay back Hermione," he warned, before turning his wand on himself, enveloping himself in a yellow light. After the light faded, he was kneeling on the floor wand still in his hand,

"Harry?" she called over, and started to walk towards him.

"I'm alright Hermione. It's OK." Harry got up once more and placed his wand in his pocket. "Like I said before, Death wishes to possess the Master of Death. Whoever possesses all three artefacts can become host to Death. Unfortunately, when he possessed me completely it was when you were in that church. Due to that instance the Resurrection Stone bonded directly with me." He held up his left hand to prove his point. Indeed, the palm of his hand contained a black pointed pebble. "Essentially, I can see the spirits of the dead, and they can communicate with me, moreover, I can travel between realms. Hence how I brought you here."

"I don't understand, I am here physically;" Hermione said clearly confused.

"You are standing here, in the Chamber of Secrets, in a state of Living Dream. Essentially, you are asleep somewhere, but you are here physically within a dream." Harry walked over to Hermione and placed his hands on hers. "I am truly sorry for the choices I have made these past few months. The fact of the matter is I am not sure how long I have left in the world. If Death takes over completely, the world is doomed, not just our world, but the Muggle world and all others. And I don't want that to happen. Please, when the time is right, you have to help me Hermione."

Once again Hermione was stunned at the words coming out of his mouth. "How can I trust you?"

"Put simply, nobody can trust me. But I need you to believe me when I say that the next time we meet more than likely won't be under peaceful pretences."

"Wait!" she cried out, before a white light engulfed her. She shielded her eyes from the intense light, before blacking out.

* * *

"Ginny..." came a voice into the darkness of the DA Headquarters. Ginny Weasley awoke with a start and looked around, unable to pinpoint the voice's location.

"Ginny..." the voice was louder this time, and seemed to emanate from all around her.

'Are you in my head?' she thought to herself.

'Yes.' This response frightened her, as she didn't recognise the voice, nor did she know where it was coming from. 'I need you to come to a special place, Ginny. It was a place you visited in your first year.'

'How do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?' she asked the voice nervously.

'Simple, I was there with you.'

Ginny suddenly realised who she was communicating with, and got dressed silently, before casting a Disillusionment Charm on herself and heading silently out of the Room of Requirement and down to Myrtle's bathroom, and the hidden entrance to the Chamber. Using the same method she used to get in the first time, which she remembered due to Tom Riddle not erasing that particular shred of information during her possession; she opened the gateway and jumped in, heading straight into a portal, which ejected her directly in front of the Chamber's serpent door, which was slightly open. She opened it and slipped inside, before walking down the green marble pathway, to the same marble face she saw almost 5 years prior.

"Hello Ginny," Harry said as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Harry!" she yelled in delight, running over to him and giving him a gigantic hug, before kissing him full on the lips. "Where have you been, Harry? I thought you had died."

"Well, I guess you could say that Death is on its way to find me soon." Harry's bold comment visibly scared her, so he held her tighter. "This is why I want one of my last memories to be with you.

"Oh Harry! I love you!" Ginny said and kissed her lover for what seemed like an age.

"I love you too, Gin. I swear, I won't let any harm come to you. No matter what." Harry broke the kiss, before taking Ginny's hand. "Follow me, Gin; if my hunch is correct, you want this as much as I do."

Ginny's face beamed. "If this is going to be my final happy memory of you, then let's make it worthwhile," she said with glee, as she embraced her doomed lover in a very passionate kiss. "Let's do it."


	17. A Call to Arms

**Hiya everyone, sorry for taking so long to upload this chapter, its been a long month. Finally got some downtime today to upload it after being able to write and rewrite this chapter. Believe me when I say this has been the hardest one to write this far. Anyways, read and review please! Enjoy!**

**(Note: Multiple POV ahead)**

"Harry, what are you going to do?" Ginny asked her lover and friend as they lay in his makeshift den within the Chamber of Secrets.

"I really don't know. I can't just give up though; I have to fight Death to the very end."

Ginny snuggled closer to him, her warm touch comforting him. "I know you will get through this, you always do;" she said as she stroked his black hair.

"That's just it, Gin; I don't know if I can survive this time. With You-Know-Who it was so much easier, I knew his strategies, what he would be planning. I could even see sometimes what he was feeling. Now, I don't have that advantage. All I know is that when Death comes for me, I won't have the power to stop him."

Ginny leaned over and kissed him passionately, her soft lips giving his mind a brief respite from his inevitable fate. "You won't need your power, because you will have me. You will have everyone in Hogwarts standing beside you to face it; you won't need to go it alone."

"Unfortunately, I may need to;" he said, slightly wincing as a small surge of energy crept up his arm from the Resurrection Stone. "Get dressed, Gin. He is on his way."

* * *

"Harry!" Hermione yelled into the white vastness that surrounded her, the silence scared her, the bleakness of the future of her friend making her doubt her own thoughts.

Suddenly, a black figure appeared in the mist, hooded and foreboding, Hermione wondered whether this was one of Death's forms, as the 'Grim Reaper'. "Hermione Granger..." the sinister voice called out, making her even more terrified of its power. "You want to save your friend, but you lack the courage to help him."

"No, that's not true," she whispered, as she backed slowly away from the creature.

"You lack the strength to protect him."

"No," she said, struggling to fight back her fearful tears.

"You lack the power to prevent his fate."

"You're wrong!" she cried out, hoping that her proclamation would prove itself right.

"Am I? I have the power to change destinies, alter the course of history. I know everything about you and Harry Potter, how you defied me once before!" The being before her seemed to calm down slightly as it stood mere feet from her. "You could have become my envoy, Granger... You could have taken over the entire world with my power, had you just done as you were told."

Summoning all the bravery she had within, she stood tall and faced her hooded foe. "I could have become your envoy, had I chosen your path. But I didn't. I chose the path of love, kindness and trust. I chose strength of will over power and I would do the same, any day."

The hooded figure raised his arm, a bony skeletal hand emerging from his cloak. "So be it." He blasted her with a powerful barrage of curses, far stronger than any she had ever encountered before.

"Someone, anyone, please help me!" she screamed as the dark energy coursed through her, praying someone would hear her.

"Leave her alone!" a voice cried out, and Death stopped his assault, and both he and Hermione looked for the source of the voice.

"Where are you!" Death yelled. "Show yourself!"

Suddenly, Death was hit by a blast of air that knocked him off his feet. Hermione stood up, her energy sapped, and concentrated on getting to where the voice was coming from.

"You will lose... Everything you hold most dear to your heart, Hermione Granger..." Death said as he struggled to get up.

Hermione opened a gateway, before turning back to the Reaper; "If that's true, then I will fight with every ounce of my strength. I will not give in to you." She turned and headed through the vortex, amidst Death's cackles of laughter.

* * *

"Ginny, I need you to warn the school that Death is on its way." Harry was busy casting enchantments on the walls of the Chamber as she stood watching in awe at his power. "Get McGonagall to protect the grounds, and get the DA to help defend the students. Above all, do not allow them anywhere near the Chamber of Secrets," he ordered.

"How will I get out of here, if you are making it so that nothing can get in?" she asked as he cast a multitude of charms upon the stone walkway in front of them.

"Easy. Dobby, Kreacher;" he called out, and almost immediately, the two aforementioned house elves appeared with a loud crack.

"Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked as he ran towards his friend, before gripping his legs in a bear hug. Kreacher however simply acknowledged his master with a brief bow. "Why has Master summoned Dobby and Kreacher to this place?" the elf asked.

"I want you and Dobby to escort Ginny back to the castle, and to help defend if from an imminent attack;" Harry answered, observing that Ginny was defiant in wanting to leave. "Ginny, you can help save the people living in this castle, I know you can."

Finally, Ginny relented. "Alright, Harry, I'll go." She ran up to him and gave him a final kiss, before taking Kreacher and Dobby by their hands. "Goodbye, Harry."

"Good luck, Harry Potter," Dobby called out before he Apparated with a loud crack.

Once the elves had taken Ginny away, Harry pointed the Elder Wand at the Resurrection Stone embedded in his hand, before saying the charm: "Expecto Patronum". The patronus hit the stone, allowing it to be absorbed by it; then Harry held his hand outwards, allowing the magic of the Resurrection Stone to take effect. In an instant, the visages of his dead family, James, Lily and Sirius, as well as Albus Dumbledore; appeared before him, bathed in a ghostly white light, yet given corporeal form. Immediately upon realising this, Lily ran over to hug her son, as did James and Sirius. Dumbledore merely stood aside as the family of the Chosen One embraced their hero.

"Oh Harry, look at how brave and handsome you have become," Lily said as she stroked her son's cheek affectionately. "I am so proud of you, son."

"As are we," Sirius said, ruffling his godson's hair. "We all want to help you out, Harry, by any means necessary."

"Well, that's exactly why I summoned you all here." Harry stood up and walked so that he could speak to all four of them. "I know that Hogwarts will fall if we don't have any help. We need the Order to assist us. That's why I want each of you to go see a different person, and tell them of our upcoming battle. Dad, I want you to head to Kingsley Shacklebolt. He is the current Minister of Magic, he will be able to get some Aurors together. Mum, I want you to visit Snape, he has become the new headmaster of Hogwarts, and I think he will listen to you. Sirius, I want you to visit Arthur Weasley, and convince him to assemble the Order of the Phoenix." The three nodded, affirming their respective missions. Harry turned now to Dumbledore, and the look in the old Headmaster's eyes was one of great pride. "Dumbledore, can you find Tom Riddle for me? He may be a Dark Wizard but I think he has changed. I don't quite know how, but I think if he were asked, he would help defend his old school, as would most of the Death Eaters."

"Alright Harry, I will see what I can do," the old wizard replied. He stood alongside the others and assumed his patronus form; his was a phoenix, James a stag, Lily a doe, and Sirius a Grim.

"Good Luck," Harry called out as the patronuses left for their respective destinations, before Harry sealed the Chamber off completely.

* * *

Hermione woke up, sweating profusely, a small gash on her right arm, and debris of what she assumed was her bed around her. Claire was among the rubble, unconscious but otherwise alive, and Tom and Bellatrix were busy digging the two out of the wreckage. "What happened?" she asked slowly, slowly recovering from the initial shock of the events that had transpired.

"You were having a seizure, Hermione," Tom replied as he lifted Claire out of the wreck, and carried her out of the room, clearly wishing that Hermione and Bellatrix were to be alone.

"You were screaming and thrashing about in the bed, begging someone to help you. We all rushed in and when Claire touched you, a blast of energy decimated the bed." She took Hermione's bleeding arm and sealed the wound.

"How could I bleed, I thought the Immortality Ritual prevented that?" she asked, not quite fully understanding the intricacies of the ritual herself.

"It appears that the Immortality is lost if all parties involved are injured simultaneously, like we were just now." She reached over to Hermione and pulled her up from the wreckage before giving her a massive hug.

"Bella, I need to tell you and Tom about what I saw, in my vision." Bellatrix nodded and led Hermione by the hand out of their now destroyed bedroom to see Tom.

* * *

"How can we protect this school from the likes of, say undead giants?"

"I don't know, personally in all my years of service to the Dark Lord, I have never come across 'undead giants'."

The two of them, Severus Snape and Ron Weasley ad been arguing for a good hour about how to protect the school from all manner of creatures, and Ron would always be the one to come up with an outrageous suggestion of what may be in Harry's 'Ranks of Evil', while Snape would always be the one to find a suitable method of protecting against such beasts.

Just as they were about to start another argument, a loud noise, like hooves, was heard; and suddenly a white doe appeared in front of the pair. "What the hell..." was Ron's reply, as for Snape, he was simply staring at the doe.

"Lily?" he asked, and the doe nodded, before morphing into her human form.

"Hi, Sev. Long time no see?" she said, as Severus dropped to his knees, tears flooding down his face.

"Oh Lily, I am so, so sorry for what happened to you and James," he sobbed into his hands. "I tried my hardest to get the Dark Lord to spare you, but he wouldn't listen to me. I am so so sorry, Lily."

"Wait, are you Harry's mum?" Ron interjected, to which Lily merely nodded.

"My son asked me to give you a message, Severus. Protect the school and its occupants from the Army of Death, the Reaper is on his way to claim my son, and he will kill anyone who stands in his way."

"We're done for." Ron slumped over, and put his hand to his face to hide his tears. "Its over. We can't beat Death, so what is the point."

Severus merely looked into Lily's ghostly eyes and reached for her hand. When he felt the cold skin of his crush he looked up, and saw the very eyes that he had sworn his heart to all those years ago. "I believe you, Lily. I will protect this school, and your son, as penance for your death." He embraced her in his arms, tears flooding down their faces.

A few floors below, Ginny, Dobby and Kreacher were running down the corridor to the Transfiguration room, and McGonagall's office. As they turned a corner, Nearly Headless Nick appeared, startling the redhead.

"Hello, Miss Weasley, what are you doing out so late, if I may ask?" the ghost asked, his head threatening to slide off at any given moment.

"I need to find McGonagall, and alert the DA." Ginny replied, now composing herself once more. "Actually, maybe you could help me, Nick."

* * *

In London, Kingsley was discussing the new Ministry with the Muggle Prime Minister, who was getting fairly irate with the wizard's late night intrusions.

"You have had long enough to repair that building of yours, Shacklebolt. You are wizards after all," the PM shouted.

"I'm sorry Prime Minister, but the damage caused was magical by nature, it cannot simply be swept up and rebuilt, the energy needs to be dissipated before we can rebuild all of the necessary areas;" Kingsley explained.

"I don't care if it takes you 100 years to rebuild that base of yours, you cannot use the basement of Canary Wharf much longer. People are starting to get suspicious of men in long cloaks, thinking there is an occultist movement going on. Also, if the wizards don't make more prudent methods to conceal this location from your terrorist..."

The PM never got to finish his tirade, because at that moment the doors flung open and a white stag galloped into the room. While the PM cowered behind his desk, Kingsley approached the stag.

"What are you doing, that thing could be dangerous!" the PM yelled, still hiding behind the desk.

"Relax, this creature means us no harm. Matter of fact, he is an old friend of mine. A _dead_ old friend."

As if on cue, the stag transformed into its human state. "Hello Kingsley. How are you?"

"James, is that really you?" Kingsley asked, stunned that his friend was indeed back from the dead.

"It is, and I have a message from my son. War is coming to Hogwarts. Death is approaching, and Harry needs your assistance."

"Wait, Harry attacked me at the Ministry last month, I saw him!"

"No, he was possessed by Death," James replied.

Kingsley looked at his long lost friend, the cold dead eyes staring at his own. "I believe you, old friend;" Kingsley said eventually. "I will gather as many Aurors as I can and will see you there." Kingsley then turned to the PM. "Goodnight, Prime Minister."

In the Burrow, Fred and George Weasley were in the kitchen, getting an early start to the day, when suddenly they heard a low howl outside. As they opened the front door, a large white dog burst through, before pacing around the lounge.

"Hey, George, what does that thing look like to you?" Fred asked his brother.

"I'm thinking exactly the same as you, Fred, but it's impossible;" his twin brother replied.

"Nothing's impossible for a wizard," Sirius said as he transformed into his human state, with the twins standing in shock. "Do me a favour and wake everyone else up, oh and ask Arthur if he can summon the other members of the Order."

Back in Lestrange Manor, Hermione had just finished telling everyone about her conversation with Harry. "I really do believe him, Bella," she assured the older witch. "The way he acted, and the way Death spoke to me in limbo, it all makes sense."

"That's not all there is to it;" Tom said, summoning a book from the library. "Back in the 1100s, Merlin, the greatest wizard of all time, had to help King Arthur defeat his enemy, Morgan le Faye. One of the creatures Morgan summoned was Death itself. It killed so many dark creatures, even she could not control it. It attacked Arthur, and was about to kill him when Merlin stabbed him with Arthur's sword, Excalibur."

"Where is this going, Tom?" Bellatrix impatiently asked.

"Excalibur was a goblin-made sword. It absorbed all the properties that could not destroy it. It made itself stronger. The fact that it was blessed by a monk, before its possession by Arthur, means that the power that defeated Death was that of Holy magic."

"I doubt that Holy magic will be able to stop him this time," Bellatrix pointed out. "He is possessing Harry directly, so it is different circumstances."

"Maybe, but perhaps the sword of Gryffindor is powerful enough to kill him," Hermione said, pulling it out of her beaded bag. Just as she did so, a screech was heard and a white phoenix flew in through the window, startling the group.

"What is that?" Bella yelled as the phoenix landed near to her feet.

"Surely you remember me, Bellatrix," the phoenix said as it transformed into its human form – Albus Dumbledore.

"Dumbledore!" Hermione gasped as she composed herself; Tom on the other hand was visibly shaken by the appearance of his former adversary.

"That's not possible..." he said as he sunk to his knees. "Snape killed you. You are dead, how are you here?"

"The power of the Resurrection Stone was meant to bring back the mind of a person, but not the soul. When combined with the Elder Wand and the master of Death, and the correct spell, corporeal spirits can be summoned for a time, retaining the soul of its envisioned person." Dumbledore glided over to Hermione, who gingerly reached for his hand.

"Cold, but very real, Tom." Hermione released Albus' hand and turned back to Tom. "He is dead, but also real. It must be the power of the Elder Wand."

* * *

Ginny practically threw the door off of its hinges as she raced into McGonagall's office, who was obviously surprised at the intrusion. "Miss Weasley, what are you doing up so late, if the Carrows catch you, you will be punished."

"It's Harry!" she breathed as she gasped for breath. "He is in the castle, deep underground, and he said that Death is coming to get him. We need to fortify the school!"

"I'm not sure what dream you have been having but I can assure you that Harry is not in the castle. Now off to bed Ginny!" McGonagall said sternly, ushering Ginny to the door.

"Please, you have to believe me!" Ginny frantically struggled as she was pushed towards the door, before she was pushed directly into her brother.

"Ron?" McGonagall said, not quite believing her eyes, meanwhile Ginny simply hugged her brother intently.

"Minerva, I require your help in fortifying the school;" Snape said as he strode into the office behind Ron, closely followed by Lily. "Harry Potter needs protecting from Death, and we shall do as he asks."

"But what about the Dark Lord," she asked, clearly confused over the whole thing.

"Voldemort is no more," Ron stated, disengaging from Ginny as she winced in fear of the name. "Tom Riddle has tossed away the last remnant of that being, and will be helping our cause. I have seen it with my own eyes. Should the Reaper claim the Master of Death, a title Harry currently possesses, he will gain near godlike power over all of the magical and non-magical beings alike."

"Alright. Ron, wake the rest of the teachers. Ginny, escort the younger students to Hogsmeade, and ensure that the villagers are ready to defend themselves. Snape and I will fortify the school." The group agreed on the action needed and left for their respective objectives.

In the Room of Requirement, Neville was panicking, as Ginny was nowhere to be seen, and it was almost dawn. "Ginny, where are you?" he said to himself as he paced the width of the room. Suddenly, he heard the door to the room open and immediately drew his wand. His curiosity got the better of him when he heard two high pitched voices coming from the door.

"...Are you sure this is the right room, Sir?"

"Of course I am, little elf. This is the infamous Room of Requirement."

"Kreacher still thinks this is a waste of Kreacher's time. Master wanted us to find an army. Kids are not an army."

"Hey, who are you calling a kid!" Neville shouted, revealing himself to the trio. Naturally, he lowered his wand slightly when he saw Sir Nick hovering in front of him. "Nick, who are the elves?"

"These two happen to be friends of Harry Potter," Nick responded, pausing to adjust his head. "Apparently, he needs the help of Dumbledore's Army to protect the castle."

"Is that true?" Neville asked the pair of elves, who were wearily watching his wand in case he didn't trust them.

"Yes, sir;" Dobby responded. "Harry Potter summoned us specifically to speak with you and help save the school. And Dobby will do anything that he wishes."

"Kreacher is also bound to Master Potter. He wishes that Kreacher protect his school, so that is what Kreacher will do."

"Alright, I will wake the others, come in." Neville opened the door wide and allowed the trio to enter.

* * *

Back in the Burrow, Sirius was busy discussing plans with the Order when a loud crack interrupted him, which was followed by James and Kingsley entering the house. "James!" he said as his old friend ran over to him and gave him a ghostly handshake. "I trust your flight went OK?"

"Of course," James replied.

"James filled me in on what is happening at Hogwarts. I think that we should see Riddle and the others and get their support," Kingsley said as he strode in to join James.

"Agreed. We need to formulate a plan and having them on our side will give us the best chance of success." Lupin stood up and moved towards his friends. "It's good to see you guys again."

The group then led the rest of the Order out into the field, where they Apparated to Lestrange Manor one by one.

Back from his trip to Nurmengard, Wormtail quickly entered the Manor, only to practically run into Bellatrix as he turned a corner.

"Wormtail, you're back!" she said with slight astonishment, "I thought you had decided to stay there indefinitely."

Ignoring her sarcasm, Peter turned to Tom. "My Lord, many of the Dark wizards imprisoned within Nurmengard have escaped, and are heading towards Hogwarts. There are also a lot of Shadowknights heading there from Norway, and some Dementors too."

"Was Grindelwald in their ranks?" Dumbledore asked, and Peter immediately cowered behind Bellatrix in fear.

"How... How are you here?" he stammered to the former Hogwarts Headmaster.

"I am a corporeal patronus with the soul of Albus Dumbledore. Is Grindelwald at Hogwarts?" Albus replied sternly.

"Yes, he orchestrated the breakout. I overheard that a deal was made between him and Death. If Grindelwald helped him, then he would be allowed to rule over all of the Muggles, like he wanted to."

"In that case, this time I must kill him." Dumbledore was clearly ready to fight. Now the rest of them need to be.

"The rest of my allies will be arriving any minute, we should inform them of our plan and head out to Hogwarts as soon as possible." Tom said to the group.

"Glad you will be remembering us in this fight," James Potter said from behind him.

"Its time to save Hogwarts," Sirius replied.

"And no supernatural demon is going to stop us!" Remus said as Tonks stood by him.

"Oh my!" Peter said as his friends stood in front of him, while the rest of the Order Apparated into the grounds of the Manor. "I am so sorry James, Sirius, Remus. I never wanted you to suffer like this, we were all friends."

"And we still are," Sirius replied as he reached for his old friend's shoulder.

"Forgiven and forgotten," James added, grabbing the other shoulder.

"The Marauders are back once again!" Lupin announced joyously as the four were reunited once more.

"Now that the reunion is out of the way, didn't you say you had a battle plan to formulate, Tom?" Kingsley asked as the Order started to enter the Manor in droves.

"He did," Hermione replied, opening the doors to the Sitting Room. "Follow me."


	18. The Battle of Hogwarts

**Happy Holidays to all my merry readers! Firstly I must apologise for the incredibly long wait for this chapter. A lot of stuff has been going on in the world, and I have also had a lot on my plate at the moment. Anyhow, I have finished this chapter, & I hope you enjoy reading it. Merry Xmas!**

Ron Weasley was standing in the Great Hall alongside the rest of the older sixth and seventh year students, including the members of Dumbledore's Army, who it seemed were more nervous than anything else. In front of them stood Snape, McGonagall and Slughorn; who were addressing the student body, the dawn light casting low shadows on the floor in front of them.

"Hogwarts has been threatened," Snape said as he amplified his voice so that everyone could hear him. "The Reaper is heading here, and wishes to claim Harry Potter's soul as his own. If he does that, no power on Earth, magical or otherwise, will be able to stop him. We must stop him at all costs before he finds Potter."

Many of the students started to whisper amongst themselves, many not believing that Harry Potter was even in the castle.

"How do we even know that Potter is even here in the castle?" Pansy Parkinson yelled, gaining some shouts of agreement from her fellow Slytherins.

"Easy," replied Ginny, who made her way towards Pansy. "I was with him tonight, I saw what has happened to him, what Death has caused."

"You were always full of it, Weasel, but you claim to have been with Potter tonight? What were you doing, sleeping with him?" came Pansy's reply, accompanied by a bout of laughter from her cohorts. Ginny meanwhile went a very deep red, almost beetroot, colour.

"Enough, Miss Parkinson," Slughorn said firmly. "Miss Weasley was able to confirm what she knows about the situation alongside her brother. They were the ones who informed the faculty, and we believe them. If you do not, I suggest you go and protect the younger students, or better yet, yourself." Many of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws cheered Slughorn as Pansy stood speechless. She turned and walked out of the Hall, closely followed by many of the other Slytherins, and Filch escorted them to Hogsmede.

"Now that that is out of the way, we need the rest of you to help in protecting the school from attack." McGonagall stood forward and conjured a spectral image of the school and its grounds. "Considering the information we have, it will be safe to assume that Death does not have any method of appearing inside the grounds themselves via Apparition, however it will be safer if we place an anti-apparition charm around the grounds. The castle itself will be our stronghold; we will attempt to keep out the Dark forces for as long as possible."

"Professor, what kind of creatures will be attacking the castle?" Seamus Finnegan asked.

"As far as we are aware, the Reaper has an army of creatures called Shadowknights," Snape replied. "They are dark knights with no morals, corrupted by hate and vengeance. Powerful, but not invincible, their weakness is that they are very vulnerable to magic."

"We plan on using our own army of knights to fight them, so all you need to worry about is the few stray ones that make it past them," McGonagall said as she headed out of the Great Hall.

* * *

In Lestrange Manor, Hermione was busy taking in how everyone was coping; joining forces to combat this common enemy. Bill Weasley was standing alongside his family, and also Fenrir Greyback and his werewolf comrades, while the Malfoys were stood with Tonks and Remus.

"Can I just say something Tom before we get started?" James Potter said as the final few people shuffled into the room.

"Of course," Tom said, but as he turned to face him, he was knocked off of his feet by an almighty punch, courtesy of James.

"That's for killing me and my wife!" James said, as Bellatrix and Narcissa ran to pick Tom up.

"Feel better now James?" Sirius murmured to his ghostly friend, who nodded as he retook his place among the rest of the Marauders.

"I half expected that Mr Potter," Tom said wiping the blood from his nose and immediately healing it. "I am sorry for what happened in the past, but the past is gone. We must now focus on the future."

"The Reaper will more than likely use his forces to thin out the defences in Hogwarts before he joins the fray himself;" Dumbledore said, his ghostly silver aura being one of the brightest things in the room. "In this regard, he will no doubt attempt to use his army to overrun Hogwarts, so that he may find Harry unimpeded."

"Considering that the only thing that can defeat the Reaper is an enchanted sword such as the Sword of Gryffindor currently in our possession, it would be a wise assumption that by using the sword on him would allow us to defeat him;" Tom continued, glancing over at Hermione as he spoke.

"What about the forces he is commanding?" Bellatrix asked.

"He has access to Shadowknights, dark wizards and vampires, as well as Dementors, so it would be in our best interests to focus on getting rid of the Dementors first, then the Vampires and dark wizards," Dumbledore answered, his face weary with worry. "I'm not sure if we will all survive this battle, least of all you, Bellatrix. You have made a fair few enemies at Hogwarts, none of whom will be particularly glad to see you."

"The same could be said about me, Dumbledore," Draco responded, stepping forward to defend his aunt. "If anyone is an enemy of Hogwarts, it would be me. I caused your death last year, and the school knows my part in it, the rumours that spread, the hate that enveloped the students and teachers. If anyone deserves their wrath, it is me."

"How noble, Draco," Dumbledore chuckled, "tell me, are you ready to fight for the greater good?"

"I am." Bellatrix hugged her nephew tightly, as did his mother Narcissa. Lucius stood as timid as before, not knowing whether to run while he had the chance.

"If anyone wants to back out, do it now," Bellatrix said looking around the room, particularly at Lucius. He just stood silent, not moving or even looking at her. "Lucius, what say you?" she asked, her voice unusually calm and serene.

"If I am to lose my wife and only son in a battle against an enemy that is practically invincible, then I will at least die alongside my family;" Lucius said quietly, his hands clenched. "I will not be remembered as a coward, I will honour the name of Salazar Slytherin and fight, even to my death."

Bellatrix and Narcissa both looked on in astonishment, while many of the others merely applauded his courage. Cries of 'Well done Lucius' could be heard, while Tom and Dumbledore merely smiled at each other.

"Quick question, how do we get to Hogwarts?" Bill Weasley broke the applause, and immediately murmurs started to resonate around the room once more. "I mean, we can't exactly Apparate there directly, and last time I checked, there was an army of darkness approaching Hogsmede, probably making sure nobody there aided the school."

As the group pondered, Hermione looked at Dumbledore, and in a moment of sheer brilliance, an idea formed in her mind. "I have an idea that might work," she said, and almost all of the heads turned to face her. "It's actually pretty straightforward if you think about it; we fly."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, Hermione, but we don't exactly have our brooms with us, nor do we have any animals to ride upon;" George said from the far side of the room.

"That's the beauty of it, we don't need them!" she said excitedly, almost bouncing up and down in eagerness. "Remember how the Death Eaters were able to fly without the aid of any other items?" Tom's face immediately lit up at this mention. "That is how we get there; we fly like they did that night."

"Unfortunately, Hermione, that particular piece of magic can take years to learn to perform it safely. I doubt we have enough time to teach it to everyone right now," Tom said, not knowing what she was getting at.

"Don't you see, we don't need to learn, the power of the Elder Wand courses through each of the three patronuses here today, by harnessing that power, we can use it to get to Hogwarts!"

"She's right Tom," Dumbledore agreed. "We do have the ability to fly after all, it wouldn't be a stretch to allow others to fly alongside us." Dumbledore motioned to the other patronuses, James and Sirius, who stood in a circle in the middle of the room. As they held out there arms and joined hands, they started to spin, forming a silvery-white translucent veil.

"If we are all ready, then let's go!" Hermione yelled as she made her way into the veil, closely followed by Draco, Narcissa and Bellatrix. Eventually, the circle had expanded so that everyone was cloaked in the patronuses powers. Suddenly, they all started to hover, as the light started to surround them all individually.

"Alright, everyone, let's move out!" Tom commanded, and the entire army of witches and wizards flew out of the door and across the dawn sky, cloaked in silver light. Onlookers would later claim to have seen some very low shooting stars in the dawn sky, while another believed it to be a sign that aliens were on the way. None of them knew the truth, however.

* * *

"Piertotum Locomotor!" McGonagall shouted as she pointed her wand at the stone statues in the Great Entrance, before moving backwards to accommodate the newly spawning stone soldiers. "Go, protect the castle. Do your duty for the students and our school!" she ordered, before she spun round to dodge a bolt of red light cast from afar. "Go!" she yelled, and the statues charged into the grounds, weapons readied and willing to lay down their stone lives for the protection of the castle.

"What's the next step, Professor?" Neville asked running to her side.

"We get inside and get prepared, Mr Longbottom," she replied. "If they can breach the barriers from long range, then we will most certainly have a battle on our hands."

"Got it." Neville ran off to regroup with the D.A, while McGonagall went to talk to the rest of the faculty.

"You think the golems will be enough to stop Death?" Flitwick asked her, his hands slowly fidgeting with his wand.

"I don't think they will hold it off indefinitely, but it will at least afford us some protection;" she replied quietly, enough so that the students couldn't hear her. "We need to focus on protecting the boundaries of the school for as long as possible."

"Surely it would be easier if..." Professor Slughorn was cut off by a loud explosion coming from outside.

"It's begun." Snape strode to the centre of the Great Hall, the rest of the teachers followed. "Students, listen up. The enemy has engaged us, so get ready to fight. Be careful with your spells, and protect yourselves at all costs." As he finished the entire room was emboldened by cheers and cries, and many students spread out into the corridors to better engage foes.

"C'mon Ginny, we need to stick together," Ron said as he ushered his younger sister into the far side of the room. "We'll have more protection if we stay here by the wall."

"Alright," she replied, but the moment she turned her back to move the window in front of her shattered, the shards heading right towards them. "Protego!" she yelled, and the bluish aura erupted from her wand to protect her and Ron from the glass. Unfortunately it could not save them from the beasts that had flown in; winged creatures carrying the shadowknights in their claws were invading the castle through the windows. The nearest shadowknight set its sword on Ron and Neville, leaving Ginny to fight the mystery creature.

The winged creature landed, and as its wings retreated, Ginny's fear increased tenfold; standing before her was one of her worst fears, a vampire. "Hmmm, you vill make a glorious addition to my family," the vampire spoke, his accent scaring her even more. Still, she had to summon some courage from somewhere.

"Stupefy!" she yelled, aiming the blast at her enemy, only for him to blast an equally powerful bolt of energy back at her.

"Silly girl," the vampire said as the smoke cleared, "you should know it vould not be that simple, vould it?" He grinned, showing his fangs to the frightened girl. "I vill enjoy feeding from you, young girl."

"Like hell," she responded, unleashing a torrent of curses and hexes, but the vampire deflected them all, before casting a spell of his own to knock her wand from her hand.

"Bombarda!" Ron yelled, blasting the shadowknight into the far wall, before turning his gaze to the vampire. "Oi, that's my sister you bastard!" he blasted another spell at the vampire, but the creature merely deflected it before blasting Ron against the wall.

"Oh, I must apologise;" the vampire said sinisterly, "I vill make zis zwift then." He chuckled as he grabbed Ginny by the throat and jumped into the air, the rafters of the magical roof temporarily concealing him from view. "I hope you will be this tasty once you are mine!" he grinned as he bared his fangs and readied her neck.

Desperately, Ginny focused her mind and tried to find someone out there that could help her. "AAH!" she screamed out loud, and red bolts started to fly towards them but a shadowy barrier prevented the attacks from connecting.

"Foolish wizards," he scoffed, before preparing to bite Ginny.

* * *

Outside, the Order were flying across the Scottish moors ready for battle. Tom and Bellatrix were at the head of the beam, while Hermione was with Bill and Fleur. Suddenly she heard a scream in her head, a scream from a friend, and both Fleur and Bill heard it too.

"Ginny's in grave danger," she said to the others, with a worried expression on her face.

"We sensed it too," Bill replied, and readied his wand, as did Fleur. Hermione meanwhile cradled the sword's hilt in her hands.

"Get ready," Tom shouted across the convoy of wizards; "we're about to reach Hogwarts."

As the group crossed the castle grounds, they saw the full scale of the dark army, with many of the party gasping in shock. Thousands of shadowknights were marching towards the castle, with Dementors and Dark Wizards flying in too. "Let's do this!" Bella cried out as they split to land, but Hermione, Bill and Fleur kept going, straight into the castle, bathing the room in a bright golden light.

"STUPIFY!" Hermione screamed, drawing Gryffindor's Sword from her scabbard and slashing it in a vertical arc; the magic curse, now amplified by the sword cannoned towards the unsuspecting vampire, who could only watch as the curse broke his defences and obliterated him into the opposite wall.

"Aaaah!" Ginny screamed as she started to fall, but Bill was quick on his feet, the golden trail still surrounding him, and he sprung forward to grab Ginny in midair, before setting her down on the floor.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Bill asked as he hugged his sister, while Fleur and Hermione stood guarding her.

"I am thanks to you guys," she replied as she hugged her oldest brother back. Her gaze then crossed to the other side of the room, where the Order had just landed. Molly and Arthur had immediately set to work defending a group of students from some shadowknights, while the pack of werewolves led by Greyback had engaged the remaining vampires. "Is that the Order?" she asked Bill, to which he nodded.

Suddenly, another shadowknight drew its sword and swiped at the group, but was met by Hermione's own blade. "Get her to safety Bill!" she shouted, as she counterattacked the knight. "Stupefy!" she charged the sword up again, so when the blades connected, the knight was sent flying.

Just before she began charging another spell, she was hit by a spell from behind, causing her to temporarily lose her balance. As she hit the floor, the sword dropped just out of reach. The second shadowknight charged, only to be blindsided by Ron's Full Body-Bind curse. As it lay motionless, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and helped her up. "Are you hurt?" he asked as she got to her feet.

"No, I'm fine," she replied picking up the sword from the ground. She surveyed the battle surrounding them, in particular, the vampires clearly outnumbering the werewolves 3 to 1. "We need to somehow even the odds," and she looked up at the dawn sky, noticing the moon was still slightly visible. An idea suddenly hit her...

Pointing the sword vertically, she yelled the incantation: "Luna Lumen!" Suddenly a bright silvery light erupted from the enchanted roof, and a full moon shone through, illuminating the entire castle and its grounds. It had the desired effect, as almost immediately howls were heard as the werewolves transformed; although they had their beastly augmented strength, due to the artificial means they retained their humanity, exactly as Hermione desired. As the werewolves counterattacked the vampires, it appeared that the Order was gaining the upper hand. Snape and Lily were engaging several shadowknights; Tom, Bella and the Malfoys were attacking some dark wizards; Molly and Tonks had begun to combat a vampire who was terrorising some Ravenclaw girls, and the twins were assisting the Marauder's (minus Lupin) in combating the Dementors.

Without warning, a huge explosion came from outside, and a large cloud of dust engulfed the Great Hall. In strode the commander of the dark army, Gellert Grindelwald himself, cloaked in the same shadowy aura as the others. Immediately he began scanning the hall for signs of Harry, but something else caught his eye, Dumbledore.

The silver phoenix flew to the other side of the hall and transformed into his human self, and it seemed that there was an immediate stalemate between the two armies as the wizards faced off against each other. "You should never have come here, Gellert."

As murmurs started encircling the room from several students, Grindelwald strode forwards. "Albus, last time I checked, you had died."

"It ends here old friend. I should have finished you off when I had the chance."

"Then go ahead, Albus; the man who never kills. Fight me!"

Dumbledore conjured his wand and attacked, a red beam of light tearing right towards Grindelwald, but he merely deflected it, before sending a blast of yellow light at Dumbledore. The two aged wizards fought back and forth while the two armies watched in awe. Some of the students started to shout encouragement to their former headmaster. Hermione simply watched as he dodged and deflected so many spells and curses, while at the same time managing to execute his own attacks.

After what seemed like an age, the dust settled, and the two old wizards stood panting with tiredness. "Is... that ... all you've got... Albus?" Grindelwald said as he caught his breath.

"I... expected... more of a... challenge, old friend..." Dumbledore replied, rising and pointing his wand at his tired enemy. "You caused the death of my closest friend, and now you will pay for it." The silvery glow of Dumbledore's patronus body started to darken, until it was a slate grey composition, signifying to Hermione especially the raw power of the Elder Wand currently coursing through Dumbledore. "Avada Kedavra." The signature green bolt of magic struck Grindelwald square in the chest; even if he had the power to deflect it, he could not deny Death's hunger. He slumped to the floor, his wand falling from his hand and disintegrating into black dust. Immediately the remainder of the dark wizards cried out and started to counterattack, in a vain attempt to avenge their fallen leader. As a consequence, the Order began to retaliate, thinning the horde of darkness and protecting the castle.

All of a sudden, one of the remaining vampires gave the order to retreat, leaving the Order and the students to cheer in victory. However, Hermione and Ginny looked on, unsure of what was to come next. As the dawn light shone through the windows, the full scale of the battle could be seen to everyone present; glass shards scattered across the Great Hall, mounds of rubble littered the floor, while the bodies of unfortunate students were being rounded up. One of the bodies was little Colin Creevey, another was a Ravenclaw girl, and a third belonged to a Hufflepuff prefect, his body having been crushed by debris from the ceiling.

"What do you reckon Death will do now, Fred?" George asked as they helped pile the dead into a classroom.

"I dunno, but he shouldn't be coming to..." he started, before he was knocked to the ground from behind. George readied his wand, but it was knocked out of his hand by a vampire hidden in the shadows.

George looked on as he was held by the throat by a vampire, as a shadowknight lurked, sword ready, over his defenceless brother, before bringing the blade down.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The yell pierced the castle grounds, the students stood in shock, and the teachers and Order members desperately searched for the source. As if on cue, the sun was blocked by a black fog, and the castle was completely invaded by the dark forces. "Severus, I don't think I can exist for much longer," Lily said as she fought alongside Snape. He tried to comment back, but was struck aside by a Dementor. "Serverus!" Lily yelled as she stood in front of him to defend him from the Dementor, but it simply started to feed off of her instead. It threw her silver form aside and grabbed Snape, and started to suck his soul away too.

'Lily' he said to himself, before blasting the Dementor with a Killing Curse. The Dementor dropped him, and Snape immediately got to his feet, and continued to fire curse after curse at the Dementor in rage, before being knocked down by a stray stunning spell. As Ron raced to help him, a shadowknight stabbed him in the chest; Ron was helpless as he watched Snape die before his eyes.

The Marauders were busy dealing with multiple dark wizards, each attempting to defeat their opponent, but without much success. "Guys, look out!" Percy yelled to them as they were struck from behind by a vampire, before all of them were hit by the dark wizards' Killing curses.

"Remus!" Tonks shouted as she saw her beloved fall down dead. She charged at the group, blasting curses at them, but as she was about to deliver the killing blow to the group, she was blindsided by another stunning curse from another dark wizard. Arthur and Molly Weasley stood in wandlock as they helplessly watched her die alongside her husband.

Tom, Dumbledore, Bellatrix and the Malfoys were busy fending off some vampires from a group of hurt students. "Tom, behind you!" Dumbledore warned, pushing him out of the way as a Dementor swooped in and devoured Dumbledore on the spot.

"Albus!" Tom yelled, and he stood up and unleashed a barrage of Killing curses at the Dementor and vampires. As the ever increasing army of darkness approached the castle, the survivors regrouped in the centre of the Great Hall. Ginny, Hermione and Ron stood alongside the remainder of the D.A, nervously readying themselves for a final assault, while Tom and Bellatrix stood alongside the remainder of the Order, similarly unsure of the army's next move.

"Is this how it all ends, Tom?" Bellatrix asked.

"I don't know." Tom looked solemn as he viewed the surroundings, bodies scattered across the floor, both friendly and hostile; families in shock as their loved ones lay dead beside them. Even without being there in person, Death was affecting each and every one of them.

Unbeknownst to them all, a certain chosen wizard was preparing to enter the fray himself...


	19. The Fall

**Happy Easter everyone! First off, I must apologise for being so late with an update, once again I have had a lot on my plate, namely university assignments and lab reports. I will try to keep you guys informed of how I'm getting on with the story. Second, the story is far from over here, I'm hoping for around 25 chapters for this story, so hopefully this story will be completed by Summer Break. Third, I have some questions from my reviewers that require answering:**

**Yamiperv: With regards to vampires in the books themselves, in book 6, you may recall that Slughorn invites an Albanian (I think) vampire to one of his 'Slug Club' parties.**

**Wild Artemis, Darkshadow-lord, LethalPoison: Wait and see ;-)**

**Now, on with the story!**

* * *

While Hermione, Ron, Tom and Bellatrix stood tired and dazed, hundreds of feet below them Harry was watching the entire battle through the eyes of the Patronuses. He could see that they needed his help, yet he could doom the world if he did. He looked at the wand in his hand, the Deathstick, alongside the stone and cloak; if he was to truly be the master of Death, surely he would need to forever beat Death at his own game. He stood up and conjured a silvery beast, his own stag Patronus, before stepping into it and racing upwards to aid his friends.

Back at ground zero, the last remnants of the Order: Tom, Bella Ginny, Hermione, Ron, George, Arthur, Molly and Kingsley; were getting ready to face the inevitable. Each one had fought valiantly to defend Harry, but even they couldn't defeat an entire army. Hermione stood next to Bella and grasped her left hand with her own right hand. Ron did the same with Ginny, Arthur and Molly too. They knew it was all over, and looking at the mass of dark creatures surrounding them, as well as the bodies of their dead comrades. George spotted his brother Bill backed into a corner alongside his wife Fleur, and wished that there was something he could do, that any of them could do. Of course, it wasn't **him** that was about to do something…

As the remainder of the dark forces issued their final battle cry, the Order braced itself for the end, but as the darkness attacked the group, a white light enveloped them, and the dark attacks rebounded, Bill and Fleur looked up from their protective embrace to see the same shield before them. "Honey, what is going on?" she asked Bill, who gave her a self-explanatory clueless look. The Order circle looked to the other side of the shield, and realised it was starting to expand. Suddenly it pulsated outwards, knocking the first wave of enemies backwards, before shattering and rising above the group, all of the other satellite shields broke too and joined the main ball of light, before it exploded an revealed the source, the stag Patronus.

"James?" Tom said, as he recalled the form the deceased father took, before realising that there was something, or someone, with the Patronus.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, and the Patronus started to ride along the ground and smashed into the first wave of enemies, blasting them away like they were ragdolls. The Order started to cheer for their Chosen One, all the while Harry rode around in a flash of light, sending beast after beast flying through the air.

"I knew he would save us…" Ginny said to Ron as she started to cry with joy in his shoulder. Ron simply stood there and comforted her. The rest of the Order watched as a dozen Dementors flew across the remnants of the bridge, which had by now all but been destroyed, making a beeline straight for Harry. He sensed them just in time and dove off of the stag, watching as the beasts devoured the silver stag. One of the others raced to grab him as he was off balance, but was blindsided by another Patronus Charm, this one now emanating from Hermione.

"Thanks Hermione," he said as the Dementor flew away and regrouped with the masses converging in the dawn sky.

Her otter Patronus bounded faithfully to her side once more and stood vigilant, Hermione simply smiled. "It's not over yet, Harry," she remarked as she readied the sword, the rest of the survivors regrouped and stood ready, wands raised, ready to defeat their final wave of enemies. Without warning, the sky suddenly darkened, a black mist descended and enveloped the Great Hall, and the Dementors raced towards the group. To Hermione, it felt like she was covered in ice, she could barely move, and the air around her was so cold. She tried to call out to someone, but her voice couldn't penetrate the thick mist. Finally the mist subsided, and she was doubled over on the stone floor, gasping for breath. There was nobody in the room that was a threat, no dementors, no vampires, and no shadowknights. No one. She looked around as she got to her feet, locating the others, who were in a similar state to her. Molly was the first to speak, although all she could manage was a whisper: "is it over?"

As if to answer her question, a hooded figure formed in the centre of the room, close to where Harry was lying on the floor. "Evidenty not, Molly Weasley" the featureless face sneered from under it hood. Hermione looked on as they all got to their feet, and received their first look; at Death.

He was a lot different to how he appeared to Hermione the last time she saw him, he was now sporting a pair of black feathered wings, similar to a crow's, and his skeletal hands and feet were of the clearest white she had ever seen. He was wearing a single hooded cloak, which was thankfully covering the rest of his body and face, if he had one at all.

"You know why I'm here, Harry Potter," the sinister creature said, slowly walking towards the unconscious wizard. "I am here to collect the payment the Hallows require. With it, I can walk free in this realm, and rule this world once more!" He cackled as Harry slowly started to get to his feet, the Elder Wand in hand. "Fool," Death simply remarked, and backhanded him across the face, the force propelling him several feet backwards.

"Leave him alone!" Ginny yelled, blasting a Stunning spell at him, but he merely deflected it with a wave of his hand. Undeterred, Ginny blasted him with curse after curse, in a desperate attempt to protect her lover; but all her attacks were blocked by the supernatural entity. As the entity cackled at her fruitless attempts to harm him, Ginny mustered all the strength she could, and blasted him with the strongest Cruciatus Curse she could. With her strength spent, she fell to her knees, breathing heavily; Death meanwhile was laughing, in a cold, almost sadistic manner.

"My turn." Death blasted a wave of energy directly towards the helpless student, but before the magic could impact, Bellatrix darted in front, taking the full force of the dark magic. Death merely laughed at this, his cold-heartedness hitting a nerve with Hermione. "You really think you can withstand this pain Bellatrix Lestrange? You think you can defy my right to rule this land?"

"She is innocent, I am not." Bellatrix stated bluntly, fruitlessly attempting to block the dark magic. "If you want to kill someone, kill me," she continued. Death cackled once more, and intensified the magic, diminishing her resistance bit by bit. When he ended the magical barrage, Bella was on her knees, panting, gasping for breath just like Ginny had. Death stretched his skeletal hand, now enveloped in a black aura, and pointed it at Bellatrix. "As you wish," he said.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hermione yelled and charged at Death, sword raised, and swung it down as she closed in on her target. "Crucio Maxima!" she yelled and a red aura enveloped her entire body as she collided with the supernatural being, making him lose his aim and blast the ground before Bellatrix, the explosive power of Death's curse sent everyone, including Bella, flying into the sides of the Great Hall.

"Insolent little girl," Death remarked as he got up, his face now uncovered. As the dust settled, Hermione looked into the eyes of Death itself. His face was a deathly white skull, but had glowing red eyes. He looked like something out of a horror story, or a nightmare. She desperately looked around or any sign of the sword or Bella, but she couldn't see either one. As Death regained his feet, Harry charged, sword in one hand, Elder Wand in the other. Almost as if he planned it, Death grabbed Hermione and enveloped her body in a grey mist, using her as a human shield.

"Harry, Stop!" Hermione cried out, and Harry did indeed stop, just mere feet away from the two. The rest of the Order were watching this series of events unfold.

"Good, Harry. Good." Death's grin was unmistakable; he had Harry exactly where he wanted him. "Now then, surrender yourself to me, Harry Potter, or she will suffer." As if to reinforce the point, Hermione was enveloped in an increasing intensity of yellow sparks, the pain steadily increasing. She tried to scream, but the pain was too much so no sound came out. Defeated, Harry dropped the wand at his feet.

"You want the sword, here;" Harry said, tossing the sword towards Hermione, who grabbed it before Death could. It was a mistake he was about to regret.

"He he he; Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, the Chosen One," Death laughed, "Ready to die, so that I may live forever."

"You still don't get it do you," Harry countered. "You may have ruled once, but it all ends here. Tonight." He got to his feet and blasted Death with an wordless spell, which Death subsequently blocked with Hermione's body, the white spell hitting her torso instead.

"You never learn, Harry," Death sneered, but when he looked at Harry, he was not disheartened. No, he was, _smiling?_

"Neither do you, Death," Harry retorted, glancing to Death's hostage. If Death realised what was about to happen, it would be too late anyway, for Hermione had raised the sword of Gryffindor and was about to plunge it into her own abdomen, the white light of Harry's protective charm ready to save her.

'Goodbye everyone,' Hermione said in her head, tears streaming out of her closed eyes. "Avada Kedavra." The sword, charged with the killing magic, was thrust into her abdomen and into the heart of Death itself. As Death died, she blacked out and fell in a slump to the ground.

* * *

When she awoke, she looked around for any sign of her friends, her lovers, but nobody was there. She looked at the scenery around her, and it was just like it was after her first near death experience. Calling on her memories of that time, she cried out for Bella, Tom, anyone, but no answers. "No. Please no," she pleaded to herself, and broke down in tears in the white mist.

"Come now, dear girl, you have done a most extraordinary thing," a voice said comfortingly as a figure formed in front of her. "Only one other person was able to accomplish what you did today, and that was almost a millennia ago."

Hermione looked up at the figure, and realised just who she was in the presence of. "It can't be; Merlin?"

"I'm surprised one so young knows who I am, of course, I am the most famous wizard of all time." Merlin conjured a seat and sat down; as he did, Hermione couldn't help but notice that he had two dark wounds in his chest.

"You became Death all those years ago, didn't you?" she questioned, rubbing the area where her own wound should be, only to find nothing there.

"Short answer, yes I did," Merlin replied. "I fashioned a cloak so powerful, it could render anyone who wore it invulnerable to spells, and also made the wearer invisible, as well as enchanting a stone so that I could see the spirits of the dead. Also, my magic was the strongest of all mages in the kingdom, so naturally, my wand was the strongest too."

"You created the Hallows?" she gasped in shock.

"Indeed, that is what they are known now as. However, by doing so I invoked the power of Death itself, he was able to enter this dimension and started to kill hundreds of people to whet his insatiable appetite for destruction. I had no choice but to stop him. However, none of my spells worked, he was too strong, he attempted to kill me, reasoning that by absorbing the Hallows, he could become as powerful as a deity. Of course, everything has a weakness, as I'm sure you're aware, Miss Granger."

"Excalibur," she stated, starting to understand the gravity of the situation.

"Yes, the holy sword Excalibur was created to be able to defeat dark creatures such as Death, and my friend, Arthur was able to kill him. Unfortunately, in his dying moments, he cast a curse on the Hallows; the person who wields all three will become Death incarnate, and summon him back to Earth. I absorbed his powers and became the new embodiment of Death to prevent that from happening. I came across three men, who had magic to rival my own. They were chosen to be the recipients of the Hallows."

"The Peverell brothers," Hermione asked, to which Merlin nodded. "So what happens to Harry?"

"Harry Potter has known for a while, the minute he realised he had two of the Hallows, I started to possess him, telling him he couldn't get the third, of course, Death had another idea."

"Wait, I thought you were Death?" Hermione stated, confused at the statement.

"In vessel only, consider us how you say, two sides of the same coin. He had the powers, I only contained them. I tried to tell Harry not to collect the wand, but Death convinced him otherwise. I was with Harry all the way, trying to get as few people hurt as possible, including you."

"You told me and Ron to leave Harry?" Hermione asked, shocked and glad at the same time.

"Yes, I told him to make sure you and Ron stayed away from him, for your own safety. Of course, once he had the wand, my control over him became less and less powerful. I had barely any control over him at the church, and then of course the Ministry of Magic too."

"Was that how you got the first of the stab wounds?" Hermione asked, recalling the events at the church so long ago.

"Indeed, it was then that I was able to split from Death and protect Harry, I was desperately trying not to bring _him_ back, I couldn't live with myself if the world was destroyed because of me."

By now, Hermione was desperately trying to avoid the question she wanted to ask, but someone beat her to it. "You want to know what will happen to us, right Hermione?" Harry said, walking into the vicinity.

"How did you know, and for that matter why are you here, I thought I was dead?" Hermione asked.

"In a manner of speaking, you are," Harry replied, wrapping his arm around her back. "You sacrificed yourself to stop Death, you banished him from this world. The consequence of which is that someone must take his place. **I** must take his place." Harry comforted Hermione as she started to understand. "As for you, Death decides when it is your time, and as it is not yours, you can go home, I however must cross over."

"No! Please, there must be another way!" Hermione pleaded, hugging Harry tightly.

"I'm sorry Hermione. There is no other way for me to escape this curse. However," Harry summoned the Hallows to his hands, "there is a way to make sure the power Death craves will never return. Take the Hallows and distribute them. Spread the word that they must never be collected by one person, else it dooms the world."

"I understand, Harry." She gathered up the Hallows in her arms, and turned towards the beckoning light. "Goodbye, Harry."

"We'll see each other again, Hermione; count on it…" Harry called back as she disappeared, a single black feather floating behind her…

* * *

As she awoke once more, she realised she was back in the real world, she first glanced at the rubble where she lay, and saw no body lying there, then over to where Harry last was, and saw the Hallows lying in a pile, accompanied by a single black feather. Realising everything was true, she started to sob once more. As the rest of the Order started to see the dust settling, they saw Hermione crying, and assumed the worst. Ron and Ginny approached, and went to comfort her, holding and embracing her, mourning the loss of a friend. Suddenly, Hermione remembered about someone else she cared about.

"Bella…" she muttered, before racing off to where Bellatrix was thrown. Ron and Ginny, realising what she was doing ran after her to help. "Bella!" she yelled as she reached the pile of rubble and started to pull the debris off of her lifeless body. "Bella please don't die on me. Please!"

As the final brick was pulled from her body, Ron and Hermione lifted Bellatrix out of the rubble and laid her down on the floor. Hermione was desperately attempting to revive her through CPR, but to no avail. "Hermione, she's gone." Ginny went to comfort her friend, but Hermione would not listen. Ginny didn't know what to do, until a voice urged her towards the Hallows, specifically the Elder Wand. "Hermione, catch!" Ginny said, tossing her the Elder Wand; Hermione realised what she could do and caught the wand in her hand.

"C'mon, please work, please!" she cried as she tried every medical incantation she could think of to heal her lover. "Please. I can't live without her. Help me…" As she cast spell after spell, she could only watch as her spells, even after being amplified by the Elder Wand, still could not revive her.

A voice called out to her inside her head, "If she means that much to you, then I won't separate you. Although, I can only save her live by returning her to a point in her life where she was uninjured, otherwise the spell will not work. I will need your help to make it work though..." A blue light enveloped both Hermione and Bellatrix, and the voice urged her to touch Bella, the moment she did, the light entered and enveloped Bella alone, raising her up into the air and starting to heal her. The blue aura around her started to dissipate, in its place was a black cloud, sucking all of the injured flesh and dark energy, thoughts and actions out of her. When she was lowered to the ground, the extent of the healing was undeniable; Bella had been rejuvenated to her 19 year old self, a luscious teenager with a curvaceous body, flowing black hair and full, firm breasts. Hermione held her face and gently kissed her lips. Almost instinctively, Bella kissed back weakly and opened her eyes.

"Miney… is that you?" she said softly as they broke their kiss. Hermione meanwhile was crying her eyes out that her lover was alive.

"Bella, Bella I'm here. I'll always be here. I love you, Bella." Hermione cried as she stroked her lover's face.

"I love you too Hermione…"


	20. A New Beginning

**Hello everyone, to celebrate me finishing my second year of university, I am posting a double helping of chapters for you to sink your teeth into, so remember enjoy and review!**

"_Our top story tonight, the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt has today officially announced an end to the Second Wizarding War. This announcement came merely hours after it was revealed that Hogwarts had become under siege by a variety of dark creatures. It has been revealed that had it not been for the help of the organisations known as the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army and the Death Eaters, the death toll would have been far greater than what it was. Full coverage of this story to follow. In other news, the Muggle Prime Minister recently announced…"_

Hermione turned off he radio, she never liked that announcer, but more importantly she didn't like being reminded of that day; even though it had only been three days ago. She was now standing in her bedroom in Black Manor, formerly Lestrange Manor.

"Miney, what did you do with the shampoo?" Bella called out from the shower, causing Hermione to jump slightly in shock; she had tuned out everything else while she listened to the radio.

"Oh, erm… I think it's in the cupboard, top shelf," she replied quickly. She would have loved for Bella to stay in the shower indefinitely, so she didn't have to face the court hearing tomorrow. The conversation with Kingsley was less than comforting, as he had practically said that she had to face judgement from her peers after everything that had transpired, as would Tom, as would the Malfoys. Bella, even in her weakened state was less than impressed with his remarks; and thankfully, was spared further by Hermione's intervention. She had something else to talk about…

3 days previously…

"_Bella, please, leave it alone for now." Hermione was practically dragging her lover through the ruins of Hogwarts to get her away from Kingsley. In all fairness, he should have been more considerate, given what had transpired over the last few weeks._

"I'm just concerned that the Wizarding World will not take too lightly to a bunch of convicted killers being let out into the world. It's just a matter of safety…"_ Kingsley had told them, only to get an earful from Bella._

"_That slimy bastard!" she ranted; "after all we have done for him and he wants to keep us off the streets!"_

"_Bella, you need to calm down!" Hermione said sternly, like a mother scalding a misbehaving child. "For the moment, perhaps it is wise to remain low-key, after all, many of the students were, quite frankly, scared shitless when you and the other Death Eaters arrived."_

_Bella chuckled at the vulgarity of Hermione's words, and appeared to calm down enough so that it appeared she wasn't about to destroy the nearest painting. "Alright, alright. I'll lay low for a while, see how that ass Shacklebolt handles things. Also, where are you leading me?" They had reached the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's Office, who at this present moment appeared to be asleep._

"_You'll see," Hermione replied, before speaking to the gargoyle. "Are the others in there?"_

_The gargoyle merely nodded its head and moved aside so that Hermione and Bellatrix could climb the stairs. Once they reached the top, they opened the door to find Tom, Ginny and McGonagall all waiting for them._

"_Alright Miss Granger, out with it, why have you brought us up here?" McGonagall asked her as Hermione led Bella into the room._

"_A couple of reasons, primarily privacy," she replied, locking the door behind them. "Another is that we need to discuss some magical artefacts." She pulled out her enchanted purse, and withdrew the sword, and the Hallows, before placing them on a nearby table. "This Sword is property of the goblins, correct? I think it would be wise to return it to them now; I see no reason for me to keep it." _

"_I agree," Tom replied. "Now that the war is over, there should be no need to use it, and I'm pretty sure the goblins would appreciate it."_

_The gaze of the room now fell to the Hallows. "What about the Hallows?" Ginny asked._

"_Harry told me to distribute them, and to make sure they were not all possessed by one person alone." Hermione picked up the wand and handed it to Tom. "I think that Tom should inherit the Elder Wand, because if he can tame its power, he can break its curse." _

"_A logical choice, Miss Granger, as long as he doesn't use it to trigger another war." McGonagall replied worriedly. _

"_Now don't worry about that, I'm pretty sure he won't want to start that all over again, right Tom?" Bella teased._

"_As for the Stone, I was hoping it could be installed here in the office, so that headmasters can consult the spirits of their predecessors for advice and guidance;" Hermione continued, handing the Resurrection Stone to McGonagall. She then picked up the Cloak and handed it to Ginny. "As for the Cloak of Invisibility, I think Ginny should have it, since she and Harry were so close, it only seems fair."_

_Ginny was so close to tears that she ran over and hugged her friend, the cloak in between them. "I'm gonna miss him so much Hermione!" she sobbed._

"_I know Gin, I know…"_

* * *

Hermione was snapped back to reality by the shower door opening and Bella stepping out, the white cotton towels curving beautifully around her body. Her nineteen year old body, even when shielded by a towel, was still a glorious sight; she was roughly 5 foot 6 inches in her youth, slightly smaller than before, yet her face held a youthful yet aged look to it. As she proceeded to begin drying herself, she noticed Hermione gazing idly at her, and a devious thought crossed her mind…

"Miney, could you help me dry my hair," she asked, waking her lover up from her stupor; "I'm really not used to drying this amount of hair."

Hermione got up and started to apply a Heating Charm whilst brushing her luscious head of ebony hair. As she did so, she absentmindedly started to stroke Bella's hair gently, seeming to take extra care with it not to make it any less than perfect. Bella noticed this, and removed her towel to dry the remainder of her body, revealing her perfectly shaped teenage rear to Hermione in the process.

"Bella, do you want me to help you here too," she asked, her hand tracing its way down Bella's spine to the top of her butt. "It seems that you missed over here," she now lightly spanked her left cheek, "as well as here," now doing the same to the right, "and I would hate for you to have to walk around with a wet butt."

Bella's plan did indeed seem to be working, because she then dropped the towel on the floor, and bent over to pick it up, intending to provoke a reaction from Hermione. "Like what you see, Miney?" she asked seductively as Hermione's hands rested on her rear end.

"Oh yes, Bella honey, I absolutely adore your cute ass." Hermione started to stroke the places where she had spanked Bella, before gently kissing them, like a mother would 'kiss a wound better'.

"You know, my mouth is over here," she replied to her lover's attention, finally getting the prized response. Hermione walked around to face Bella's front and tenderly cupped her face in her hand. "That's better," she added, before engaging in a kiss; which to anyone else would more than likely have been described as a full-on snog-fest.

Hermione broke the kiss, and led her lover to the bedside, where the two lay down and started to caress each other's bodies. "Are you ready for the trial, honey?" she asked whilst gently fondling Bella's breasts.

"After the last trial I attended, I really wanted to show that I could change, and hopefully they will see that I have;" she replied, strangely sombre and out of character for her. "We have been together for about 3 months, right?" she asked, "is that really long enough to know a person?"

"Bella, I know you, better than most other people; you may have been a killer at one point, but now you have a new chance at life, a new beginning." Hermione pulled Bella in for another kiss. "Besides, I will be with you every step of the way, I promise."

At that moment, Claire entered the room, limping slightly from hurting her ankle the week before in the explosion. "How are you both doing today?" she asked, leaning against the wall to ease the pain.

"We're alright, Claire. How are you feeling?" Bella replied, sitting up on the bed and addressing the house elf.

"It still hurts, but I'm grateful for you rescuing me from the rubble;" she replied, gazing lovingly at her mistresses nude form. "Not many wizards and witches would care for a house elf like you have. Thank you." She tried to curtsey, but her ankle gave out, and had Hermione not levitated her towards the bed, she would have fell flat on her face.

"You don't need to be so formal, Claire," Hermione stated softly, her hand caressing the bruised foot before a light blue light glowed around her hand. "This should help ease the pain a little; just try to stay off it as much as possible." She passed her to Bella, who sat her on her lap like a small child.

"I think that the trial is going to go very well, for both of my loving friends," Claire said, her large eyes welling up with tears as she turned and hugged Bella's midriff, her head resting on her breasts. The three of them simply sat on the bed, embracing each other, as a family should.

* * *

Hermione and Bella walked down to the Ministry courtroom, in a pair of smart yet simple dresses, given the formality of the situation. Bella had her black hair flowing across her shoulders, while Hermione's was arranged in a single, long ponytail, reaching to between her shoulder blades. She had also decided to wear the red choker that Bella had gotten her, hidden slightly by her jacket. A Ministry official led them inside, where they saw many of their allies sat in a partition on one side of the courtroom, facing the Wizengamot, the wizarding council. Among the younger faces in the room, Hermione could see many of the Weasley family, as well as Draco Malfoy, members of the DA, and other students that had fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. Also, Bella could see many of the Dark Wizards she had known over the last 15 years.

As the pair took their seats, Kingsley stood and addressed the room, which unusually for a Ministry trial also contained members of the wizarding community, many of whom had looks of disgust on their faces. "Let it be written that this trial commenced at 2:05pm on this date." He glanced over to the stenographer, who was feverishly writing dawn all that was said during the trial. "We are gathered today to decide the fate of many of the wizards and witches who have been previously accused of utilising Dark Magic and causing chaos in this country for the past 20 years. Many of you in the public are aware that Hogwarts was attacked 3 days ago, and we will find out from personal accounts what actually happened that day."

The Undersecretary then stood up, with a long roll of parchment, contained on it a list of everyone who would be tried that day. The list included Bellatrix, as well as Tom, Lucius, and many of the students. As the names started to be reeled off and the defendants stepped forward to be interrogated, Hermione watched as Bella got more and more nervous. Draco, whom she had sat next to, held her hand tightly to try to calm her down.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," the Undersecretary announced. It had taken a good ninety minutes to get to Bellatrix, so naturally she was fidgety as she made her way to the centre of the court. She looked around at the members of the wizarding public and the council alike, all of whom were wondering who the young woman was.

Kingsley got up to begin questioning her. "State your name for the record please."

"Bellatrix Black," she replied. "I do not want to be called Lestrange anymore, if that is alright with the court," she added, amongst the murmurs from the onlookers.

"Can you inform the court of the events that resulted in your '_radical_' change of appearance?" Kingsley asked. It didn't take a Legilimens to know that he already knew the answer; he was just clarifying for the rest of the congregation.

"During the Battle of Hogwarts, I was severely injured by an enemy, I don't recall which one. A magical artefact, the Elder Wand, was able to heal me, however due to the magical nature of the injury a complex and rarely used charm had to be used. Essentially, it reverted my physical body to that of my nineteen year old self."

As Hermione watched, she realised that Bella was lying to protect her, changing certain events to provide anonymity.

"You wished to be called Black rather than Lestrange," one of the older council wizards spoke this time; "Is this due to guilt over killing your cousin, Sirius Black?"

Many of the public started to murmur, but Bellatrix kept her cool. Just.

"Sirius was my cousin, yes. I regret my actions that day, I wish it had never happened; I wish I could bring him back, tell him I was sorry, but I can't. It wasn't guilt, sir. It was love."

"You don't even know what love is!" shouted a member of the public, whilst being restrained by others in the row. "You're a killer, and should be locked in jail for your crimes, as well as all of the others over there. You endangered our children!"

"Order!" Kingsley yelled as stewards proceeded to drag the woman out of the courtroom.

"I was a killer…" Bella said, her voice resonating with anger, something Hermione was very quick to pick up on. "I killed because I thought it was right. I thought that blood purity was something I had to enforce. 17 years ago, I ended up in Azkaban because of that view. I was wrong."

Many of the wizards stood speechless. More were whispering to each other. Hermione was simply amazed. Admitting she was wrong was something Hermione rarely saw Bella do.

The Undersecretary stood, and asked for silence. "You admit that you have killed people in the past. Why should we believe that you won't revert to killing again? If I'm not mistaken, you used to kill people for fun, what says you won't again?"

Bella lowered her head; in truth, she had no answer. There was no way she could convince them all that she was not dangerous anymore, her track record saw to that. Even if they did believe that she was being truthful, they would still say that the general public distrusts her, and lock her up anyway.

"I guess all I can say is, you need to trust that I will reform, that I _have _reformed." She looked around at the congregation, and was met with a variety of looks, some of disgust, some of admiration. "All of you see me here, at the end of a war, the start of peace. Let me have a fresh start, a way to right my wrongs. I can't do that if I'm I Azkaban."

The Wizengamot members talked amongst themselves for a lengthy period of time, all the while Bella was still sat in the middle of the court, under the watchful eyes of the public. "_Bella, you're doing great, just stay calm for a little while longer," _Hermione said via Legilimency, reassuring her that it would all be over soon.

"_I hope so, it is so hard to be calm with everybody hating you for what you did in the past. I hope the council sees sense." _Bella mentally replied.

The Undersecretary stood once more, and spoke to everyone rather than just Bella. "It is of the Minister's belief that in this time of peace, people should be given a second chance, a fresh start so to speak. However, we do not feel that it is the right time to let you free; herego Bellatrix Black is hereby sentenced to spend the remainder of her original sentence in Azkaban, until such time as the Ministry deems you ready to re-enter society." Bellatrix's heart sank; she really thought they would let her be a free woman, instead she would remain in that dark prison for 10 more years. She couldn't bear being without Hermione for that long, but she also didn't want to give the Undersecretary any more reason to send her away any faster, so she simply hung her head and waited for the inevitable.

"No!" Hermione shouted, everybody's gaze turning to see her. "Kingsley, there must be another way to deal with this…"

"Guards, remove this _schoolgirl_ from the courtroom, how dare she address the Minister so informally…" the Undersecretary shouted over her, the guards swarming over her.

"Stop!" commanded Kingsley, amidst the chaotic atmosphere his voice still bode a sense of authority, and he really wanted to avoid a confrontation, especially in a trial. "Miss Granger, a private word," he beckoned for her to enter the Minister's quarters behind the courtroom.

"But, Minister…" The Undersecretary started, before getting a stern glare from Kingsley that stopped her dead in her tracks. She receded back to her chair, scowling at Bellatrix and Hermione.

"_I hope you have a plan, babe…" _Bellatrix said.

"_So do I, Bella;" _Hermione replied.

* * *

Kingsley closed the door as Hermione entered the rather spacious quarters; it was fairly empty, containing only a wooden desk, a handful of chairs and a fireplace. "Why the sudden outburst, Hermione? You know as well as I do that Bellatrix is not safe in the outside world, you saw how that woman reacted earlier, she would be killed by someone if she isn't under observation."

"Kingsley, she won't survive another 10 years in Azkaban, she has already spent one lifetime there, please don't let her waste another one;" Hermione pleaded, her eyes welling up.

"What would you suggest?"


	21. Consequences

As Kingsley and Hermione re-entered the room, the congregation silenced. All of them wanted to see what the Minister wanted; many wanted to know just what an 18 year old student would want with keeping a convicted killer such as Bellatrix out of prison.

"May I have your attention, please?" Kingsley said, all eyes and ears focussing on him as Hermione retook her seat. "Many of you in the public stand would enjoy seeing a convicted killer, or maybe three, locked up. That may have been how things were run in the old Ministry, but now the circumstances are different. Today, we take the first step into the future.

As Minister of Magic, I propose that the defendants, including Miss Black, be released under the condition that they are monitored by a member of the Ministry on a regular basis. Each defendant is to be given a case worker, who will be reported to and will be available for sessions should the need arise. Anyone who disobeys the terms of their parole will surrender their freedom and be sentenced to serve their remaining sentences in Azkaban Prison."

Bella glanced over to Hermione, who gave her a barely visible wink in reply.

"Minister, are you sure that this is a wise decision to let these, these _killers, _out on the streets again?" the Undersecretary said quietly to Kingsley. "What did the girl tell you, to give her a chance?"

"Yes, actually she did." The Undersecretary was shocked to say the least, but she still did not agree.

"All in favour of this motion; raise your hands;" Kingsley announced, and a large portion of the Council did so. After a quick count, he ushered their hands down. "All opposed;" the Undersecretary's hand shot up, to the annoyance of Bellatrix and Kingsley alike, along with a couple of other hands. He took another count, then ushered them down once more. "The 'ayes' have it; all defendants are to be released under parole as per my specifications." Bellatrix couldn't believe her ears; she was free at last, albeit under parole but still, freedom! She looked at Hermione and saw that she was crying with joy alongside her friends.

* * *

As the congregation started to exit the courtroom, the Undersecretary made a beeline for Kingsley, who had headed towards Hermione. "How can you let a convicted killer out like this?" she spat at the two of them.

"Why do you so desperately want to see her in prison?" Hermione countered, knowing this would elicit a reaction.

"She is a criminal, yet a single makeover and a smart dress and you think she is reformed? What proof do you have that she cares about anyone other than herself?"

"She saved my life." Hermione stared at this woman, this Ministry official; she knew that she hated Bellatrix, so she had to prove her worth. "A few weeks ago, I was severely injured when a building spontaneously collapsed on top of me. She was one of the ones who helped to rescue me from the rubble. She gave blood to keep me alive. Think about it, a 'Pure Blood' fanatic donates blood to a 'Mudblood' like me. She has changed so much; you're just too blind to see."

The Undersecretary was at a loss for words, all she could do was mutter a simple apology before hurriedly fleeing. Hermione simply thanked the Minister for his reconsideration and left alongside her friends.

"Hermione, can you wait up a minute?" Ginny shouted as she ran over to the fireplace where Hermione and Bella were ready to use the Floo Network.

"Sure, Gin. What's up?" Hermione replied.

"I have something I want to tell you, and I need some privacy to say it, specifically from them." She gestured to her parents a few metres away. "Do you mind if I come with you?"

Hermione looked at Bella, who nodded her permission. "Sure, come on." The trio Apparated back to Black Manor, where Bella immediately darted for the bathroom for a much needed cooldown shower. This gave the teens some much needed privacy. "So, what was it you wanted to say?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I was having some stomach pains earlier this morning, and I didn't think much of it until the trial; during the interim, I went to the bathroom and did a little test. It was positive." She let it sink in before revealing the sucker punch:

"Hermione, I'm pregnant!"

The brunette teen was shocked as well as overjoyed at the announcement. "Oh my God, Ginny! I'm so happy for you! Who is the father?" Immediately, Ginny's face fell, her eyes watering, voice trembling, so much so she could only manage a whisper.

"_Harry._"

Hermione could only hug her friend tightly, her child would grow up never knowing their father, and she had to help Ginny remain strong. However, something in Ginny's purse caught her eye. Naturally, her curiosity got the better of her.

"Ginny, how did you perform the test?" Ginny dried her eyes and pulled out a small card, emblazoned on it was the word 'pregnant'.

"The card identifies verbal symptoms, you say what the symptoms are, and it scans you and comes back with a result. Mum used them when we tried to skive off doing chores. They are highly accurate, really good at determining what is affecting you." Ginny passed the card to Hermione, and the word disappeared into magical dust.

"The reason I asked was that I thought you had done a pregnancy kit, like the ones Muggles use." When Ginny's face drew a blank, she left the point alone and continued on. "I wasn't feeling alright either this morning, but I just put it down to bad food last night." As she said this, the card in her hand illuminated and started to faintly glow. When it was finished, it had the same word as before on it. "Gin, you said this was accurate right, so why is it saying that I'm pregnant too?"

Ginny glanced at the card, and looked almost as confused as her friend. "Try this, name another symptom to double check; has your period been late recently?"

"Yeah, it has," Hermione confirmed, causing the card to respond again, confirming its prior evaluation. "I don't believe it!"

"Neither can I, we're both pregnant!" Ginny was jumping for joy, Hermione however was trying to figure out _how_ she was pregnant.

"How can I be pregnant? When I gave Bella her, her 'equipment', I made sure it was sterile…" Hermione suddenly dashed to the bathroom, Ginny close behind.

"Bella, come out now, I need you to tell me something." Hermione yelled through the door. She heard the shower turn off and the sounds of a towel being donned before the door was unlocked.

"Couldn't wait for me to get out could you?" Bella joked, before noticing Hermione's look of shock on her face. "Okay, tough hallway. Alright, what is it?"

"Did you alter the charm on your dildo by any chance?" Hermione asked sternly, foregoing euphemisms in front of their guest.

"Oh. OH!" Bella realised what she was insinuating and immediately started beaming. "The only reason you would be asking is if it worked. You're pregnant!" While she was delighted, Hermione was still glaring at her. "Alright, I asked Tom to remove the charm from it. I wanted to have a child, someone who I wanted to watch grow up, and I wanted it with you."

"You should have told me, Bella." Hermione responded. "If you did, I would have removed the charm myself." Now both Ginny and Bella were confused. "As it happens, your parole starts now; you will be punished accordingly for your actions." She held her hand up, and a blue light enveloped Bellatrix; her wrists were bound above her head, her ankles were bound too and she was levitating in the air. "Come on Ginny, let's have some fun to celebrate our pregnancies." Ginny saw Hermione's eyes, and a wicked smile crossed her face.

* * *

Ginny and Bellatrix were led down to the dungeon area were Hermione was first brought. Hermione bound Bella to a wooden rack, before dressing her nude vulnerable body with adornments such as nipple clips, ropes and chains; each application designed to tease and elicit a response. She had also been gagged, so could only muffle her responses.

Hermione and Ginny returned to the room, carrying with them a box of 'toys' for the teens to play with. "I think that we should get started, right Gin?"

"Certainly, Hermione," Ginny replied, removing her top and bra, before tossing them to the side of the dungeon. "I must say, your girlfriend is really making me horny, you don't mind if we share her tonight?" she said seductively, walking over and playing with Bella's youthful tits.

"Not at all, Gin;" Hermione replied, also shedding her dress, but also removing her panties as well as her bra, leaving her completely nude.

"Babe, my hands are full at the moment, could you scratch an itch?" she said back in between fondling Bella's nipples and sucking on them.

Bella could only watch as Hermione slinked over to Ginny, dropped to her knees and slowly pulled Ginny's panties off with her teeth. When the panties were sufficiently lowered, Ginny stepped out of them, and spread her legs wide enough so that Hermione could 'scratch her itch' – with her tongue; Hermione proceeded to tongue fuck Ginny while Ginny played with Bella. Eventually, Ginny started to notice that Bella's cock had emerged, so she decided to tease that next, slowly licking up and down the shaft while being eaten out by Hermione.

After 5 minutes, Hermione moved Bella into a flat position, on her back; still bound to the rack. While Ginny was still teasing Bella's cock, Hermione rummaged through the toys until she found the one she wanted. "Gin, remove the convict's gag," Hermione ordered, to the mock affirmation from Warden Weasley. As Bella stretched her jaw, she saw what was about to replace it: an oral strap on. Hermione strapped the silver dildo to Bella's face, leaving her somewhat two pronged.

"My turn with the dildo," Ginny said, as she left Bella's erect cock and left to attend to her face instead. Hermione resumed the offensive on Bella's cock, starting off by sucking on it like an ice lolly. Ginny meanwhile was gently kissing Bella's cheek, stroking its smoothness. "You know, you look so beautiful as a 19-year old," she whispered before starting to suck on the dildo protruding from Bella's face whilst massaging her nipples once more. She glanced over to Hermione, who winked. The trio were suddenly levitated onto a bed, Della was still bound, but now she was more comfortable. The two teens stopped sucking on their designated cocks, and climbed on top of Bellatrix, ready to mount.

"Ready?" Hermione asked, and the two plunged onto their respective cocks, riding the woman below them like a bucking bronco. They leaned inwards and started to kiss each other, each woman in the threesome being pleasured in some form or another. The orgy finally peaked when Bella madly started to thrust into the pair, along with the sounds of a muffled orgasm.

"I'M COMING!" cried Hermione, just as Ginny confirmed her imminent orgasm too. The three rode out their orgasms, before collapsing onto the bed. Hermione removed the bindings from Bella, and took out the dildo. "We should do this more often…"

"You know," Bella said as she cuddled the two teens beside her, "when I woke up this morning, I never expected this."

"Well, I think we have plenty more time ahead of us tonight…" Ginny smirked.

A flash of grins from her girlfriends, and round two was underway.


	22. Diary of a Dark Witch

**Sorry it has been almost two months, but I've had a lot of things to do in the interim. Here is the next chapter of Choices!**

In the few short months since the Battle of Hogwarts, a lot had changed in the Wizarding World; not least of which being the reunification of the Death Eaters into society. Many of the 'former' members had been released on parole, and regularly spoke to their respective councillors, while a few, had fled to other countries, to get away from the scorn of the general public. What many members of the public didn't know, was just what happened that night, and indeed, many people didn't want to know the details, particularly from what they had read in the Prophet.

In the memory of Bellatrix Black, she had been reborn only a mere three months prior, and a lot happened in those long months. With her birthday having been ignored all those years in Azkaban, Bella had forgotten what it felt like to enjoy a proper birthday, so it came as a big surprise when all her friends and family arrived at Black Manor for a party to celebrate.

_26__th__ May 1998_

_Dear diary, _

_How does it feel to be the first entry in my brand new life? I have missed the feeling of a proper birthday since before Azkaban, I still can't believe it is my birthday today, and how old would I be? 20? Or 48? Hmmm, maybe I should start from 20 again, I doubt people would believe I was nearing my 50s. _

_Hermione Granger is my girlfriend, diary; and she is such a wonderful young woman; kind, caring, funny and smart. Yet after all that I did to her and her friends, she still sought me out, and that day, that choice, changed our lives. She is pregnant you know, by my hand, or should that be 'phallus', hehe. We are such good lovers, never afraid to try something new, never fearing that you don't trust the other. After all that I have done, I don't deserve someone like her, but she doesn't care about that. All she cares about is how much we love each other, and I'm grateful for that._

_They threw a party for me today, Miney and her friend Ginny; they invited all our friends, the Order, Hogwarts staff, even my sisters came round. Andromeda dropped by and had her daughter's son, my niece's son; with her, and he was just so adorable, I never realised it before, but children were never meant to live in a world of warring parties, they should grow up in peace, harmony. Maybe Nymphadora and her husband, Lupin, had got something right after all._

_Anyway, I'm rambling; she came over and talked to me. She didn't shout, didn't accuse me of returning to the old ways, she just stood with her grandson, saying that his future shouldn't be ruined any more than it already has been. I think she called him Teddy at one point; given his lineage, it is a very fitting name._

_Anyway, got to leave you, my diary, the party is still going on, and there is a pair of lips I want to get a hold of. Speak to you soon…_

_Bella Black_

* * *

June had been a surprisingly warm month that year, with the Muggles fretting over 'hosepipe bans' and water shortages. The wizards fared no better, as warm weather usually meant increased numbers of pixies, and pixies were not very nice to be around when they were too hot.

_13__th__ June 1998_

_Dear diary,_

_It has been a few days since I spoke to you, diary. Did you miss me? Well if you were me I bet you would love to see the backs of those rotten pixies, honestly, I hated summers as a child for this very reason; the pixies just love to annoy you. One minute, you will be sunning yourself in the garden, the next; a bunch of the buggers will fly around you and throw things at you, things like clothes, garden chairs, once I even had one throw a gnome at me. A FUCKING gnome! How did I even get gnomes in this garden anyway? Oh well._

_I have been having a tough time with Claire, my house elf, at the moment. She wishes to travel about, and I am not sure what to say to her. If I tell her to stay, she will think I am keeping her against her will, even though she is a free elf. I let her leave, and she may not come back, and I would be lonely when Miney goes back to Hogwarts after it is finished rebuilding. Perhaps I should talk with Miney; she always has Claire's best interests at heart._

_Love you, diary,_

_Bella_

* * *

July finally arrived, and with it, some much needed rain, so much in fact, that it turned into a thunderstorm. It ended up causing a fire in a field not far from the manor, but it was still frightful, particularly when Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, arrived from the Burrow.

_3__rd__ July 1998_

_Dear diary, _

_What an interesting few days it has been. Let me fill you in on all the details. Andromeda and Teddy visited; we shared a cup of tea while cooing over Teddy, and enjoyed a good gossip as well. It turns out that the Ministry is recruiting for Defence Against the Dark Arts professors, and not a lot of people want the job. _

_Ginny, Miney's friend is staying with us now until she goes back to school. Apparently, word got out to her mother that she was pregnant, and when she wouldn't say who the father was, she went; for lack of a better word; 'ballistic'. Gin packed her things and left, bringing a furry little friend with her; Miney's pet cat: Crookshanks._

_I would be lying if I said I hated animals, I loved having my pet owl when I was a student. But this particular cat seems to have an interest in me more so than any other animal I have ever encountered before. The other day I went for a stroll and it wandered out after me. When I returned home I locked the poor dear out, it wasn't until the following day when I heard about the thunderstorm and the fire at the nearby fields that I realised. The cat was still out there! When I found him, he was soaked to the bone and had some scorch marks on his fur. Miney was so pissed when I brought him back in that state. I was punished severely that night, not that I minded. Being 2 months pregnant, your hormones are said to start making you act differently. In Miney's case, she may have become more horny than usual, if that is even possible._

_I will speak to you again soon, diary. I promise._

_Bella_

* * *

After that, things were pretty quiet around the manor, of course being around two pregnant teens did make for a fairly relaxed atmosphere. At 10 weeks the pair of them started to show a slight baby bump, and both were wearing long flowing summer dresses whenever they could.

_24__th__ July 1998 _

_Dear diary,_

_I have some good news! Tom has decided to apply for the Hogwarts position, isn't that great! I think the Ministry would be fools to not hire him as the new DADA professor. Speaking of the Ministry, Arthur Weasley, Ginny's father has been visiting me once a week to check up on me, both for the Ministry and for his family. He has been looking for something which could hint as to who the father is, but for now, he is clueless._

_Also, my Miney is starting to grow, her baby bump is showing and she loves it when I caress her stomach. She says I will be a great parent, although to be fair, I don't exactly have a good comparison. Maybe I should talk with Narcissa and Draco; maybe they will tell me what good parenting is. Then again, maybe not. Draco isn't exactly the best apple in the bag, but he is loyal where it counts. Family. God I miss my mother…_

_Speak to you again when there is any news._

_Bella_

* * *

With August came a balmy addition to the summer, a heat wave. England wasn't known for having particularly hot summers, normally they were mild by other countries standards. However this year, nature decided to treat the English to a very hot few weeks.

_13__th__ August 1998_

_Dear diary,_

_I cannot believe how hot it is out here, and I'm love every minute of it! The three of us have decided to try and get tans, but since these UV ray – thingies are harmful to babies, we have to apply lots of tanning lotion. And guess what, they decided that I'm the one who has to apply it. Honestly, who knew that rubbing lotion onto a baby bump was so, sexual…_

_Claire has left on her trip, Miney and Gin have convinced me to let her go and see the world. She knows how much I care for her though; I gave her a big bear hug before she left. She isn't exactly the best with conveying feelings, something she takes after me I guess, but when I let her go, she was crying; crying because she meant that much to me, to anyone. Not many house-elves can say that._

_Tom is in the last stage of interviews for the position at Hogwarts, hopefully Kingsley can convince the board that he is the right man for the job. I mean who knows the Dark Arts better than him?_

_Crookshanks is all better after the storm, thankfully. I was hoping the furball would stick around the Manor, he is good company. Arthur is also popping round frequently for a chat, although he is holding something back whenever we meet. I don't know what it may be, but I have a funny feeling it concerns me and the Ministry. _

_Cissy brought Draco around for a visit yesterday while Gin and Miney were out shopping. After the war, she has been very withdrawn, afraid her family will be put in Azkaban. Hopefully, she is just being paranoid. Having said that, perhaps she isn't…_

_Speak to you again soon, got to go work on my tan!_

_Bella_

* * *

_25__th__ August 1998_

_Dear diary, _

_Just a few more days until Ginny and Hermione set off for Hogwarts, along with Draco, Ron, and some others who think they can still learn things from the time they missed. Mr Neville Longbottom came to see me yesterday, said he wanted to know if there is any way I can reverse what happened to his parents. To be honest, I actually want to help him, but I don't know if there is even any way to reverse the damage. It's been 18 years and the wizards at St. Mungo's haven't managed it. I think I owe it to him at any rate._

_Tom's been hired! He's on a probationary term at Hogwarts, and he will have an Auror present at all his classes to help him out. Although, I don't think he would try anything anyway, from what he told me, he always wanted to teach children. I guess the Ministry is just covering its collective ass._

_Arthur brought his wife round last time he visited. She was bawling her eyes out, saying that it was her fault for not being a good parent, letting Gin get pregnant. I told her that it doesn't matter, all that matters is that she needs to be a good parent now, and a great grandparent when the baby arrives._

_Speaking of babies, Miney and Gin are to go for their prenatal scans, so me and Molly will go with them, I want to start panning the baby's room while they are away._

_Speak to you soon._

_Bella_

* * *

_27__th__ August 1998_

_Dear diary,_

_OMG! Ginny's having twins! I don't believe it; she is having fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. And Hermione is carrying a healthy baby girl with her too, both will be expecting sometime in January, so I have a good few months to plan rooms. I don't even know if Ginny will be staying with us after she finishes at Hogwarts, but according to Molly, she wants her own place, but she also wants to stay close to her friends. I think I may be able to sort something out…_

_I went to visit the Longbottoms after the exams, with Neville accompanying me of course. I was able to restore some faint memories, but nothing more than that this time. Perhaps in a few weeks of this 'therapy' they will recover. Neville was pleased that I could do just that, for now. Being able to talk to his parents was a luxury he never had growing up. Now I realise just how bad Potter must have had it, both his parents being dead._

_Ginny is going to stay with her family until term starts, so me and Miney will be able to have some alone time. Given how much time is left, I think she needs some quality alone time._

_Speak to you soon. _

_Bella_


	23. Love Hates Nightmares

_You should have known the price of evil_

_And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah_

_No one to call, everybody to fear_

_Your tragic fate is looking so clear, yeah_

_It's your fucking nightmare!_

With just a few short days before Hermione was due to leave for Hogwarts, Bella realised she was going to be very lonely at Black Manor. Sure she had Crookshanks to keep her company, but he enjoyed chasing gnomes and catching pixies in the garden. Bella decided to have a deep discussion about the future with her lover, even if it were going to be the final chance she got to be with her beloved.

"Miney?" she whispered as she slowly crept into the room. She had been up all night reading, and had found some rather insightful information regarding Muggle transport, in particular, aeroplanes.

"Hmmm…" Hermione groaned, slowly moving towards the lamp. Being three months pregnant meant that she was slowly but surely finding it harder and harder to move onto her stomach, so something as simple as rolling in bed was something she had to be aware about all the time. "What's up?" she said groggily looking at the clock next to her. "If you're done reading, can you come and keep me company?"

Wearily, Bella made her way to the other side of the bed and slinked under the covers. "I wonder who she will look like more," Bella said while idly stroking Hermione's belly. "I hope she is smart like you, babe; it is one of your best assets."

"Besides these?" Hermione countered, indicating her breasts; "or this?" now indicating her rear.

"Point taken."

"So why are you up so late?" Hermione asked. She was curious as to why Bella would stay up all night reading; more importantly was why wake her up in the middle of the night.

"I wanted to talk with you, and I figured you would be so crazy running around preparing for Hogwarts that you would have no time to talk to me."

Hermione yawned, and then rolled onto her side, so that she was now facing Bella. "Alright, what did you want to talk about, which couldn't wait until breakfast?"

"I wanted you ask about your parents. I think they would want to know they will be grandparents in a few months. Also, I think you have wanted to go and see them."

"I know you know how I feel about you reading my mind, Bella," Hermione stated, her right hand moving towards Bella's body, caressing it slowly, just like Bella was doing just a few moments ago. "To be honest, I would love to see my parents again. But they live in Australia, they think that they have been happily married with no children, and they are both Muggles. How exactly do I say, 'Hi there, I'm your daughter, I'm pregnant and I'm a witch!'?"

Bella pondered this for a moment. "I think that there is a way where we can get around that. Memory charms cannot make you forget information, they instead hide it; they make your memory into something which is normal, yet is also incorrect."

"So you're saying, if I go to my parents and remove the charm, they will remember me? What about the last year that they lived in Australia? Is it fair to take those memories away?"

Bella sighed and put her arm around Hermione. She didn't know how to respond, nor did she know how best to face family. Hell, she and Andromeda barely acknowledged each other's existence until a few months ago, how could she get Hermione's parents to recognise their own daughter.

"Bella, it's not like I don't want to see them again, I'm just worried that they won't want me, they have a carefree life, why do they want the burden of a daughter?" Hermione started to cry, and Bella quickly noticed.

"Shhhhh, I'm sorry for upsetting you, babe," she said as she pulled the brunette into a soft loving embrace. "If you don't want to see them, then you don't have to. But if you do, then I will be there beside you every step of the way."

As Hermione's eyes dried, she and Bella kissed each other goodnight, both knowing that whatever her decision, she would be backed no matter what.

* * *

A few days later, Hermione and Ginny set off for Hogwarts. Ron had decided to join his father in repairing the Ministry, and Tom was busy teaching, so she had nobody to talk to. As she walked around the large, empty manor, she felt so lonely, she missed Hermione, she missed Claire, she even missed her family.

"If only I had someone to talk to," she said aloud as he ate a slice of toast. Since her chat with Hermione, her appetite had dissipated. Now she was barely eating a meal. She didn't know what to do. What could she do? She started to list off things she could occupy her time with, before finding a valid reason as to why she couldn't.

"Go shopping in Diagon Alley? No, everyone will recognise you from the trial, and they still hate you."

"Clean the manor? No, it's already clean; it would be a waste of time."

She eventually decided to have a nap, something which actually made sense to her. When she was a kid, if her family didn't want to do anything, and she had nothing to do, she would sleep. She took her robe off, leaving just her undergarments on and slipped into bed, quickly falling asleep.

A strange dream occurred while she slept; she dreamed that she and Hermione were arguing, something regarding their child.

"What do you mean they expelled you?! You're a top student, so what if you're pregnant?"

"They expelled me BECAUSE I was pregnant. Because of this stupid baby, my education is ruined!"

"Hermione just calm down, please," Bella begged. "We can fix this, we can make it right."

"We?" Hermione glared at Bella, "You are the one who gave me this baby in the first place; if it wasn't for you, I would still be in school, I would be graduating next year and be able to get a top job. YOU can't even do that! Because of what YOU did all those years ago, you can't even get a job. Even if we had this baby, you couldn't support it, you wouldn't even know how!"

As Dream Hermione's anger rose, Bella saw Ginny appear. "Ginny, please can you talk to Miney; she doesn't know what she is saying."

Instantly, Ginny turned on Bella, rage clear in her eyes. "Did you see this message the teachers gave me, either I leave the school or I abort the baby!"

As Bella looked on, she felt a wave of horror wash over her as the pair looked at each other and then conjured a pair of gleaming silver knives in their hands.

"Well, all I care about is succeeding in school, nothing else matters;" Hermione said bitterly as she fondled the blade in her hands, small cuts appearing in her palms.

"I agree, after all, Harry is gone, there is nobody else I love more in this world;" Ginny said, twisting and turning her knife in her own hands, which too developed cuts on them. "Besides, at least if I do leave Hogwarts, at least I have a family that loves me."

This comment was aimed directly at Bella, and for a moment, it felt to her like someone had literally stabbed her through the heart. The pain was so intense; she collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest. "Why would you say that, I haven't done anything to you Ginny…"

"Maybe not to her, but you have done a lot of bad things to a lot of people;" a new voice said as it walked into the room.

"Longbottom?"

"You destroyed my parents' minds," he accused the pain in her chest getting ever stronger. "They have been babbling nonsense for my entire life. You could have had the kindness to kill them and end their suffering, but because of how twisted, sickeningly sadistic you are, you left them as insane parents, and forced me to be looked after my aunt." Again, another jolt through her heart. The agonising pain was causing her to stream tears down her face. "AND THEN; when you helped to save the wizarding world, you promised to help my parents, and yet I find you lounging about in your luxury home while THEY suffer!"

A third jolt made Bella cry out in pain, this kind of torture was too powerful, she couldn't even look at them, let alone protest. After a minute of excruciatingly agonising pain, it subsided, and she slowly looked up to her torturers, tears streaming down her face. "I… I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice dry from the pain. "I'm so sorry."

"Not as sorry as we are," Hermione said venomously, her rage renewing the pain Bella felt. "To think, we all took pity on you; **I **took pity on you, why should you be sorry? You have never been sorry in your entire life. You have never felt one moment of remorse in your entire life."

"That's not true…" she rasped, the pain clearly audible in her voice. "I regret every action that has resulted in hurting someone; even people I didn't know. I only did what I did to be part of a flawed group. I didn't do it for pleasure."

"I don't believe you." Hermione retorted, and held her free hand towards Bella. "Imperio!"

As Bella's body suddenly started to become akin to a ragdoll puppet, her thoughts pleaded with Hermonie to see reason.

"If you truly do regret what you have done, then resist me." She started to make Bella crawl towards her. "You are going to take this knife, and destroy that which you created. You will kill my baby."

Bella was absolutely mortified! She couldn't do that, she cared too much about her baby; she didn't want to kill it. No, she **couldn't **kill it. And yet, her body was causing her to do just that. She crawled towards Hermione, her lover, like a dog slinking to its owner. 'Please Hermione, don't make me do this!'

"Once you have done that, you will kill my child, so that we may live our lives without you." Ginny looked at the former Death Eater, and another wave of pain shot through Bella, but still she crawled on, doing exactly what she was told, she got up and took the knife from Hermione's hands.

"That's right, now kill the child," Hermione ordered, the power of the Imperius Curse taking even her protestations away from her.

"No, please, don't make me!" she tried to say, but her throat was dry, her mouth was numb. Her voice had been taken from her; and no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't stop the Curse. The tip of the blade pushed into Hermione's stomach, a small flow of blood crept out of the wound. She kept pushing, as Hermione kept pushing her on, telling her to keep pushing deeper, not to stop until she had killed it. Slowly, Bella pushed the six inch blade into her lover's stomach, and then proceeded to pull the knife across her stomach, essentially opening up her womb.

"Now, pull out the baby and kill it!" Hermione ordered, while Neville and Ginny grinned demonically. Despite her protests, Bella had to obey, for some force was preventing her from fighting against the Curse. She reached in and slowly pulled out the unborn infant. A mere three inches in length, the baby was barely formed, but it was still **her** baby.

"I… I can't!" Bella blurted out, dropping the knife in the process. This outburst infuriated Hermione, whose face now morphed into a much more frightful, nightmarish face.

"I order you to kill that child NOW!" it barked, and Bella felt her right hand, the one gently cradling the baby's head, slowly close. She could hear the sound of her own hand crushing the baby's skull, the eyes bulging out of their sockets, the brain like putty squelching as it was crushed.

"Please, no more;" Bella begged as she was now cutting the second baby out of Ginny; the blood on her hands becoming darker and darker, the pain in her mind becoming more and more intense.

As she cut the second child out and held it in her arms, she felt that pain in her mind once more; she couldn't fight it any longer. She placed the baby on the floor, took the knife.

And stabbed.

And stabbed.

And stabbed some more.

The moment she finished, the Curse wore off, and she saw the atrocity she had committed. She dropped the knife, and put her blood soaked hands to her face, tears streaming down it.

"Well, I guess we are finished here," Neville said as the two women, still with the massive gouges in their stomachs, turned and headed for the door.

"Oh, and you may want to clean up, murderer," Hermione quipped; "it smells of blood in here." The three cackled maniacally as they left the manor, leaving Bella to weep over her destruction.

"What have I done?" she said aloud between sobs. "How did this happen?" She glanced at the blade, still dripping with blood, and grabbed it. She cleaned it with her robe, and looked into her polished reflection. What she saw shocked her to her core.

She saw the image of an insane witch, with mad black curls and a sickening look in her eyes. The witch was holding a number, and she was cackling madly. Suddenly she looked at Bella, and spoke.

"Remember me? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !" Bella plunged the knife into her heart, in an attempt to end the pain. She did not want to be that woman anymore. She had too much in her life now to be that selfish.


	24. The Death of Bella Black

**Hello readers, sorry if the prior chapter came out of nowhere, but this chapter should explain everything. Also, I think that this quote fits the entire chapter to a tee. So, read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

_"We've all fallen, but at the same time we're not broken. _

_There is the hint that we are going to get up again."_

_(Amy Lee, Evanescence)_

Bellatrix awoke in a haze of blinding white light; it burnt her eyes so much that all she could do was squint until her eyes adjusted. As her vision slowly came back to her, she started to sit up, but a throbbing pain in her chest stopped her.

"Where? Where am I?" she asked aloud, but the silence gave her an altogether more frightening answer. She looked around the room she was in, and saw white. White walls. White doors. White windows with a white space outside. Everything in the room was white, too. The drawers, the bed, even the mirror on the opposing wall. Actually…

"Is that… me?" she whispered, straining to get to eye level in the bed so that she could look in the mirror properly. Her reflection made her gasp aloud; she saw a young woman with a deep gash on her face, a heavy bruise across her forehead covered slightly by a few blood stained shreds of hair. She looked like she had been attacked by someone, or something. As she examined her face closely, she noticed in the mirror a change in the colour of the room; rather in a specific patch right behind her. It was in the shape of a small crow, with a strange marking on its wing. As she turned, her chest started to throb again, causing her to gasp in pain.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

Bella glanced around looking for the voice, but no one was there but the crow.

"You are in pain, yes?"

Frantically, she started to fight the pain, looking for the source, but it seemed to be moving around the room. Suddenly, the mark on the crow looked startlingly familiar to her. "No…" she whispered, her eyes going to her hands, her mind imagining her last memory; the knife, the reflection, the blood.

"Figured it out yet, Bellatrix…" The crow, perched on the top of the bed in the mirror image, started to fly towards the mirror itself, but there was no bird in the room with her. Course; truth was, Bellatrix now knew what (or rather, who) the crow really was. It emerged from the mirror, the frame rippling around it, as it started to transform. Its clawed feet elongated and became shrouded in feathers, to the point where they were simply a sea of darkness. Its body grew, and from it two shrouded arms morphed from the feathery body. The wings moved back until they could be folded into an impressively imposing stance. Its head underwent the most radical change, the crow's beak blackening and opening well beyond what was natural, yet inside the crow's mouth was the face of Death itself.

"Please, I don't want to die… Harry."

Harry slowly landed on the floor, his black body a stark contrast to the pristinely white surroundings. Bella watched him, knowing why he was here. She was about to die. "Please, Harry. I don't want to die," she pleaded, her voice almost inaudible, her eyes streaming, her hands shaking. She would have begged him, had the pain not been so intense.

"Bella, have you not learned yet?" he asked calmly, his voice seemingly calming her, however temporarily. "The choice of death is made by the body, not by the mind. Look around you, where do you think you are?" Her eyes darted around as she realised just where she had ended up since what happened in Black Manor.

"We are in a hospital, aren't we?" she guessed.

"St. Mungo's, to be precise;" he replied. "Do you know how you have ended up here?"

This time, she had no reply; she did not know what happened after she… had… hurt…

"Who did I kill?" she asked feverishly, before starting to panic. "Oh God, please tell me I didn't kill Hermione or the baby. Please Harry! Please, tell me!"

"You really don't remember what happened, do you?" he said, which scared Bella more than anything. "Tell me, Bellatrix; what do you fear?" He waved his hand towards the mirror, which had now enlarged to the point where it took up most of the opposing wall. As Bella looked at the mirror, which to be fair, wasn't acting as a mirror, but more as a screen; she saw what she feared most in the world: Hermione and the newborn, dead on the floor.

"Please, Harry! Please tell me they are safe!" she begged. She couldn't live with herself if she had killed them. In fact, her memories of the manor suggested to her that they weren't real. They couldn't be, could they?

"Perhaps looking at yourself will answer some of your questions," Harry suggested, gently lifting up Bella from the bed, and stripping her of the white gown covering her. What she saw horrified her to her core. She had wounds all across her chest and abdomen; a notably long horizontal gash across her stomach had been carefully sutured up, while bruise upon bruise covered her entire body. It had appeared that someone had beaten her to a bloody pulp before trying to snuff her out.

"Tell me what happened," she asked, shock subduing her voice to the volume of a field mouse. Harry obliged, setting her down before showing her just what had happened in Black Manor. Essentially, she had been sleepwalking, the nightmare she was having directing her movements, the jolts of pain she felt, were in fact her bumping into things and colliding with objects, before she had turned the knife on herself.

"Even monsters have nightmares, Bella." Harry put his hand on Bella's shoulder, comforting her as she watched her own demise.

"What does a monster have nightmares of?" she asked, almost like a scared little girl who had just woken up in a cold sweat.

"Itself."

* * *

After a few minutes of quiet contemplation over what she had done to herself in her nightmarish daze, she finally decided to ask the question that had been burning away at her mind. "Harry, how did I get to St. Mungo's?"

"Your family heard your cry for help," he replied cryptically. She was understandably confused, so he went on. "Allow me to show you." He raised his arm to the screen once more, and the room suddenly changed. When t reformed, the two of them were perched on top of a bookshelf, at the back of a dimly lit classroom. Round them, teenagers were chatting merrily, swapping notes and trading jokes, and some were trading much more than that. "Do you know where we are, Bella?"

Bella glanced around quickly, and recognised the specific room they were in. "We're in the 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' classroom, aren't we?"

Nodding to confirm her suspicions, her attention turned back to the figures that had just entered the room from the right of her. They were all faces that she recognised. "Hermione, Ginny, Tom" she whispered to herself.

The action now revolved around the newest professor to head the DADA class, and to some, he seemed to radiate an ominous aura. "Hello, class. My name is Professor Riddle, and I will be your new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Some of you may know my history, for the rest of you; I used to be one of the strongest Dark Wizards in the world, a life I have since given up." As the class began to murmur amongst themselves, Hermione and Ginny were giggling to themselves, knowing exactly what they were all discussing. "In your seventh year, this subject is meant to prepare you for your NEWTs; to this end, it will therefore cover anything that a witch or wizard may encounter, irrespective of how rare these aspects may be. Now, after the Christmas break, you will be taught in the art of defensive duelling, along with some guest Aurors, you will be taught everything a young wizard should know to survive in the real world. Of course, if the rumours are true, many of you have already learned how to fight a few years ago." As he glanced around, some of the students, many of whom were graduates of Dumbledore's Army, giggled in unison at the acknowledgement.

As the students started to quieten down, Tom started to conjure an image of a dark creature on the board behind him. "As for this turn, we shall be studying dark creatures and some of the deceased Dark Wizards of the past. So, question one, who can tell me what the name of this creature is?" He pointed to the now fully formed creature behind him. As the rest of the class were quiet in thought, Ginny and Hermione were debating who should answer the question. After much deliberation, Ginny raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Weasley," he said, pointing to her to stand.

"It's a Lethifold, Sir," she replied confidently. "A Lethifold is a carnivorous creature found in the tropics, and it attacks its victims at night, leaving no trace of them behind."

"Correct, Miss Weasley; the Lethifold is adept at lying in wait for its prey to fall asleep, before it will glide over to them and suffocate them to death by smothering them. Now, who can tell me what its only weakness is."

This time, Hermione put her hand up, and one of the students in the back of the class sneered at her, but as Ginny sat back down she saw the student and glared back at them. "The Patronus Charm, normally used for defensive purposes, is the only known method of repelling a Lethifold, first discovered by Flavius Belby while on holiday in Papau New Guinea."

"Again, well explained Miss Granger. 5 points to Gryffindor." Tom now saw quite a rare opportunity to demonstrate a rare skill, as well as demonstrate the Charm. "Miss Granger, as I understand it, you are capable of conjuring a corporeal Patronus, correct. Would you care to demonstrate it for the class?"

"Sure," she replied, as she walked out of the row of seats and moved to the front of the class. As she got to the front row she aimed her right hand at the board in front of her and focussed on a fond memory of hers. "Expecto Patronum." In a flash of white light, a wave of silver energy radiated through her arm and her otter Patronus burst into life. As it floated around in the air, one of the students put her hand up to ask a question.

"Yes, Miss Robins?" Tom asked, as Hermione focused on maintaining the Patronus.

"Professor, how is Hermione able to conjure a Patronus without a wand?"

"An interesting question, and one I expected. As many of you are familiar with the infamous adventures Miss Granger and her friends had last year, it is not widely known that her wand was lost to her. Instead of finding a new wand, she instead taught herself how to cast spells wandlessly. This skill is only reserved for wizards and witches who are very competent in magic, and have the concentration to pull it off. One of the most famous wizards was the late headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. In her case, the fact that she is not directly descended from magical blood makes her magical abilities all the more exceptional."

As Hermione heard these complements, she brimmed with happiness, not noticing what was happening around her. Suddenly, the door to the classroom slammed shut, and the candles in the room went out all at once. As Tom quickly tried to keep the calm, Hermione's otter Patronus started to morph, and as it did, it changed to a crimson-grey colour; adding to the already sinister atmosphere. "Harry, what is going on?" Bella asked from her perch behind the class, but Harry simply pointed at the morphing Patronus in front of the class. She saw a thin strand of energy connecting it to Hermione and saw that it was hurting her.

The Patronus grew into a standing form, its front paws becoming arms, its fur becoming a grey robe across its body. It sprouted long bangs of hair from the top of its head and its face changed to that of someone she recognised immediately. "Bella…" Hermione gasped. Without warning, the Patronus Bellatrix wailed like a possessed banshee, a blood curdling scream piercing the entire room. Students ducked for cover, while others held their arms out to protect themselves. Ginny meanwhile was desperately attempting to get to within reach of her friend. Then she saw it. The Patronus crashed directly into Hermione, the force knocking her clean off her feet. Ginny was just barely able to catch her barely conscious friend; and as the cries of 'Lumos' were heard around the room, Bella was sitting shell-shocked on the bookshelf.

"You and Hermione are a rare occurrence in soul mates; when one person is in mortal danger, the other person can sense it, irrespective of where they are in the world. In this case, the danger manifested in your soul possessing her Patronus, and your lack of consciousness in the real world caused it to do this in here;" Harry explained, as the pair watched the events unfold further.

"Miss Weasley, take Granger to the Hospital Ward immediately," Tom ordered, as Ginny cast a levitation charm on her friend.

"Save… Bella…."

Ginny and Tom stood dead in their tracks as Hermione passed out from the exhaustion. Without another word, she raced out of the classroom, friend in tow, heading straight for the hospital ward.

* * *

The scene changed to that of a dingy bar, and both Harry and Bella were seated in a corner of the room.

"What happens in here, Harry?" Bella asked, unsure what connection this had to her. Then a familiar face became apparent in the crowd, a diminutive friend, in a strikingly beautiful dress. "Claire!"

The elf was busy having a good time away from her duties as a housekeeper, and busy she was. In addition to touring the world, she was also fending off the advances of various men who would otherwise wish to take advantage of her. As it happened, she was in Ireland, talking with a leprechaun in a corner of the bar close to where Bella and Harry were observing. "So what do you do hot stuff?" the Leprechaun, who had introduced himself as Douglas; asked, smitten with the elf in front of him.

"Oh, erm, I work for a witch as a housekeeper;" she replied, sipping on her house-elf sized glass of Butterbeer. "It is quite relaxing actually."

"But, aren't you a house elf? Aren't you meant to work for your master all the time, no matter what?" Douglas asked, his curiosity peaking just as much as his lust for Claire.

"Not in my case. My master released me from his service about 20 years ago, and I found myself without a home or shelter. A young witch rescued me and brought me to her manor. She took care of me, in my time of need. In return I offered to work for her as a housekeeper. She would design and give me these dresses as gifts, and she was incredibly kind towards me."

"So who is this heavenly chick, and does she dig guys in green?" he asked, taking a swig of his Firewhiskey.

"Her name was Bellatrix Lestrange." This gave the desired effect, startling Douglas long enough for him to start choking on his drink. As Claire gave a little mischievous giggle, Bella couldn't help but laugh at her comments, and her handling of the situation.

As he regained his composure, something clicked in his mind. "Why do you say, _was_?"

"She died in Hogwarts last summer. I was passed on to a new charge after her passing." While this was not technically false, the official records were that Bellatrix Lestrange was no longer living.

"Wow," was Doug's only reply. "She must have cared a great deal about you for her to go to so much trouble as to make those dresses of yours. A contrast to her public face." He seemed to have a great deal of animosity towards her, given her cruel streak was almost legendary amongst the magical folk.

"She was a great friend, and she never hurt me in the slightest. Even after Azkaban, she was still as kind as ever. All she wanted was a friend. A companion. So I gave her one."

At this, Doug seemed to simmer down, before ordering two Firewhiskeys from the bartender. He handed one to her, with a cheeky, yet sombre grin. "Well then, a toast. To friends, old and new." As he handed the glass to her, she saw Bella's face in the reflection of the red alcohol. She then saw a vision burn through her mind, a feeling of pain, suffering, and loneliness. She woke from the trance by the sound of the glass hitting the floor underneath her as she had dropped it. "Bloody 'ell, what was that?!" Doug yelled as she realised where she needed to be. Turning, she dashed away from him, yelling back at him:

"A friend who needs me!"

* * *

The scene changed once again, this time the two spirits were back in Black Manor. "What happens now, Harry?" Bella asked, slowly starting to piece together the different parts of the puzzle. Harry stayed silent, and instead pointed to the immobile body on the floor. She immediately recognised it as her own.

"Bellatrix!" Claire yelled as she ran through the house, desperately looking for her mistress, before coming to a halt in the kitchen. "Oh my God! What happened in here?" she gasped, slowly approaching Bella's badly damaged and unconscious body. "What could have happened here?" As she stood up, she made a mental request to two other house elves she had met on her travels.

At almost the same time, the pair appeared. "Miss Claire, why have you summoned Dobby and Kreacher… here…?" Dobby looked at the lifeless, unconscious form in front of him. "What did Miss Claire do?" he asked in astonishment, as the trio turned her onto her back.

"Oh Mistress Bellatrix," Kreacher cried out, gripping her hand gently. "What happened to you?"

Quickly, Claire took charge. "Kreacher, I need you to go to Hogwarts and find some people for me, a student and a professor: Miss Hermione Granger and Prof. Tom Riddle."

"Why does Claire want the Mudblood girl?" Kreacher asked, unaware of the connection between Bella and her. After getting a quick death glare from Claire, he quickly realised his error. "Apologies, Miss Claire. Kreacher shutting up and going."

"Tell the two of them to get to St. Mungo's as soon as they can. Apparate them there if you have to." With a bow, Kreacher Apparated away. "Dobby, I need you to find her sister, Narcissa Malfoy."

Recoiling in horror, Dobby started to shake his head frantically. "No no nononononono! Dobby does not want to see the mean Malfoy man again. Please don't make Dobby go there. Please," he begged her.

"Dobby! I need Narcissa and her family so that I can actually get her to St. Mungos's. Please, go and get them," she replied, genuine panic starting to course through her.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Dobby asked solemnly, his voice quiet.

"She is my family. The only one that I have left."

"Very well. Dobby will find the Malfoys." With a crack, Dobby vanished, leaving Claire alone to watch over her fallen friend.

After almost 5 minutes of continuous checking and rechecking pulses around her body, Claire finally found an extremely weak pulse in her neck. Almost on cue, Dobby returned, with the Malfoys in tow.

"I swear, elf; if you are pulling our legs, I will personally turn you into a leather bag," Lucius threatened.

"Dad, don't be so mean, if he says something is wrong, then chances are…" Draco retorted, before seeing the sight of his aunt sprawled out on the floor in a pool of blood; "…there is."

"What happened here, Claire?" Narcissa asked as she crouched down to check on her sister. "Did you see her attacker?"

When Claire shook her head, Draco drew his wand and shouted a Charm he had read once. "Ostendo sum tentatio!" The 'Reveal Attacker' Charm blasted around the house, before the pinkish aura settled on Bella's limp body. Realising the implications, he cast it twice more, with the same end result. "Why would she do something like this?"

"I don't know son. I just don't understand. She had her whole life to live for, why would she want to throw it away?"

"She hasn't yet," Claire responded. "We need to get her to St Mungo's immediately."

"Yeah, and last time I checked, I don't take orders from a beast like you," Lucius sneered, only to get a fist to the chest, courtesy of Draco.

"Dad, you don't need to come if you don't want to, but she really needs medical help if she is going to survive." Draco and his mother grabbed Bellatrix firmly, and Apparated away. Claire followed suit, leaving Lucius to concede defeat and follow them. The spirits followed them to St Mungo's, where medical witches and wizards were desperately checking every possible permeation of spells that they could to try and save her life.

As Bella watched this unfold, she saw just how much her family cared for her, just as a new trio of people came rushing through the atrium of the emergency ward. Hermione, Kreacher and Tom were all racing towards the Malfoys, who were winding through the maze of doors, until finally, Dobby noticed her just before they headed into the Operating Room.

As Hermione caught up to them, the MediWitch informed her that they needed to begin treating her immediately. "Please, just don't let her die," Hermione told her. "I don't know what I will do without her by my side. I love her."

The witch noted her emotion, and rather than judge her lesbianism, she instead assured her that she would make sure she survived.

As the doors to the theatre closed, Bella found herself back in her room, now filled with everyone who cared about her: Hermione, Claire, Narcissa, Draco, Dobby, Kreacher, Tom and Lucius. All of them had a look of fear and anguish on their faces as they watched over her.

"You have a choice to make, Bella Black;" Harry said, directing her attention to the mirror in front of her. "You can either follow me to the Spirit World, and never feel pain again, or remain here, and see them all one last time." As he vanished into the mirror, she sat in the white vastness of Limbo, contemplating her choice: Live or Die.

Deciding, she materialised a knife in her hands, and looked at her reflection in it. Once again, she saw the mad Lestrange woman, her monster. She made her choice and through it at the mirror.

"I choose…

Life."

* * *

As she woke to the haze of bright light, she heard her family celebrating in their own ways, some were hugging each other, and others were kissing each other. Hermione, she held onto her hand, cherishing any touch she could gain. "Hun, I'm not going anywhere, not anymore." As Hermione hugged her, Bella saw out of the window, a crow with a suspiciously specific marking. "Thank you for saving me," she whispered gratefully. The crow nodded in acknowledgement and flew off into the sunset.


	25. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

**Hey all, I'm back, and just giving you an update, I plan on making this 30 chapters long, so we are nearing the finale, and boy is it worth the wait! Rate and Review for all my thanks!**

As Bella slowly healed in her room at St. Mungo's, the Wizarding World slowly found out about the attack, and were forming their own hypotheses as to what had happened. The students of Hogwarts were also wondering this, and given many knew Hermione, they were puzzled by the connection between Hermione and Bella. Many theories were rumoured to be true, some asking why they would be linked together, with Hermione being 'a mortal enemy' of the pure blooded Bellatrix; while others asked if the pair were linked exactly because of this, an 'anti-soul mate' connection. The teachers of Hogwarts knew better, however; fully knowing that Bella and Hermione were linked because of their love for one another.

The more pressing issue was, just who had attacked her? A select few knew the true reason, but everyone else merely speculated; one young Auror even went so far as to say that Voldemort was back, an opinion quite quickly revoked after talking with the Minister. Kingsley soon found out what had happened, courtesy of the Malfoy family, and swiftly took charge of the situation. He sent Claire to Hogwarts to look out for Hermione and to aid her if needed, and told Tom to keep a close eye on them. Kreacher was to stay with Bella, hoping that in time, she would be fit enough to return home. Dobby and the Malfoys were left to sort out the Manor, as Kingsley reasoned, it would be better for someone to have attacked her than for her to have attacked herself. The family agreed, and in no time at all, they had managed to make the Manor look like it had been broken into.

Bella slipped in and out of consciousness over the next two weeks, sometimes falling asleep for days at a time. Finally, as October rain set in and the light pattering of the showers on the windows awoke her, she consciously realised just what had happened.

"Mistress Bellatrix?" Kreacher said as he sat on a chair to the right of the bed. "How do you feel?"

As she attempted to sit up, the ever present pain in her stomach jolted her senses. She whimpered in pain, and Kreacher aided in getting her to sit upright. "It still hurts, Kreacher." Looking at the weather outside and at her complexion in the mirror opposite her, she asked Kreacher how long it had been since the attack.

"Kreacher thinks it has been almost 3 weeks since it happened." As Bella digested this nugget of information, an all too familiar gurgling sound made itself known. "Does Mistress want Kreacher to fetch her something to eat?" he asked. When she nodded, he left the room heading straight for the cafeteria.

Bellatrix removed the bed sheet to examine her body more closely. As she had seen in Limbo, the medics had sutured and cleaned all her wounds, and there were dressings running across them. On the table next to her were several potion vials, all with droppers inside. She reached over and examined the labels:

_Nutrient potion – 2 drops in patients mouth per 8 hours._

_Healing potion – Apply one drop to affected areas every 12 hours._

She stopped looking, as the rest seemed to say the same thing; and she wondered, after everything that had happened, why people were helping her? Why didn't they let her die?

As she pondered this, Kreacher reappeared with some food in tow; and although not a banquet, the small sandwiches and apples that he had bought looked almost as satisfying as one. As she took her first bite, she realised that she hadn't eaten in over 3 weeks, so her mouth was terribly dry. As she started to cough, Kreacher went and fetched a glass of water from the sink in the room. As she gratefully gulped down some of the water before finishing the sandwich, she offered Kreacher one.

"No, Mistress, this is your meal, not mine."

"Kreacher, I want to share this meal with you, as my way of saying thanks;" she replied weakly.

With a mixed look of astonishment and a rare smile, Kreacher sat on the edge of the bed as the two ate their lunch together. The rest of the day, Kreacher informed Bella of what had happened, and she was content to listen. All of the rumours and stories made her smile, she liked that people didn't know she was crazy. Of course, she also wanted to know if her lover thought she was crazy.

Around 9pm, after the nurses had finished their final rounds and Bella as lying in bed, she thought of Hermione, and how she was doing.

"How many times do I have to say it, Bella? I don't like you reading my mind!" came a voice from the mirror. Bella slowly got up and walked to the mirror, which morphed to show the Gryffindor Common Room, complete with Ginny, Claire and Hermione.

"Hermione!" she gasped, as the three giggled on the other side of the mirror. "How are we talking?"

"It's actually quite ingenious," Ginny chirped, "we used a spell to send a message from the fireplace to a specific point in space, specifically the mirror in your room in St Mungo's!"

"Once the others had gone to bed, we were able to cast the spell and talk to you!" Hermione continued, her face beaming with happiness. "So, how are you feeling?"

Bellatrix looked at her body, before replying happily "I feel great! I feel like some part of me is gone forever, and that it is a great thing to have happened."

"I'm glad you feel good Bella," Hermione replied. "I want to see you again, so the three of us are heading to St Mungo's with Tom over the weekend."

Suddenly realising she had not asked what day of the week it was, she sheepishly asked her. After having a good laugh at her expense, Ginny replied that it was Wednesday, leaving 3 days until they would arrive at St Mungo's. "What do I do for 3 days?"

Claire was the one to speak this time. "I'm sure you can find something good to do, Bellatrix, you always were one to find a deed to do when bored."

"Anyway, we will leave you to get some rest, ok love?" Hermione said; her face genuinely happy for the first time since she was at St Mungo's. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, my sweet Miney." As the mirror faded back to normality, Bella pondered about what Claire had said: 'Find a deed to do'. As she climbed into bed, she decided that there was a good deed she could do over the next two days.

* * *

When Bella got up the next morning, she felt more determined than ever before. She knew exactly what she had to do, but more importantly, why she had to do it. She got into a pale yellow dressing gown and started looking for her targets, the Longbottoms. After almost an hour of searching the entirety of St Mungo's, she finally found them in a ward, fairly far away from many of the other wards; and once she entered the ward she saw why. Inside were almost a dozen witches or wizards who had lost most, if not all, of their memory. They were deemed the 'incurables' and kept away from others, mostly to prevent them from hurting other people. As Bella walked through the ward, she noticed that none of the patients paid any attention to her, as if they didn't care that they got a visitor. She spotted the Longbottoms, in a private room no less, and bravely stepped inside.

"Hello," she said nervously as she shut the door to the room behind her. "I'm looking for Frank and Alice, are they here?"

"I think, that Alice is in the other building," Alice said sweetly, the infamous look in her eyes signalling that this may have been a bad idea.

"I came here to help them," Bella said, a little softer than she wanted to, though it had the desired effect.

"Why do you want to help us?" Frank said from his bed. "All I know is my name and my wife. I don't remember anything else."

"Well, Mr Longbottom, that is why I'm here," she replied confidently. She knew that the best way of bringing back their memories was giving them back. "My name is Bellatrix Black…"

"BLACK!" Frank moved out of his bed faster than he had ever moved in the last 15 years. "HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE HERE!" Frank was on the floor, his hands around Bella's neck, strangling her.

"I… I came… here… to apologise…" she gasped, struggling to breathe. "I… I want to… return your memories… so that you can be with… Neville." At the mention of his name, Frank stopped, and his face went blank, as if he was racking his brains to find information that was no longer there. As Bella recovered, Frank sat on the floor, tears streaming down his face. Bella noticed that Alice was also crying.

"How can you help Alice and Frank?" Alice asked, her face sincere and covered in tears.

"I helped take your memories 18 years ago; it is only fair that I give them back to you, so you can live happily with your son." Bella held out her hands to the Aurors, who gingerly accepted them. She closed her eyes, and concentrated.

* * *

Hermione raced down the corridor, Ginny and Claire close behind. When Kreacher had said that Bella had disappeared, Tom authorised them to go to St Mungo's earlier than planned. With the Halloween weekend close by, they were not bogged down with any workloads, so going a day or two earlier for an emergency was allowable. Hermione turned the corner and raced into Bella's room, to find nothing but an empty bed. "Where is she?" she asked aloud, as the other members of her entourage arrived at the room.

"Why would she have left without saying a word to anyone?" Ginny asked, searching the room for any clues.

Hermione wondered the same thing, and as the group searched the room for hints, her mind wandered around the hospital, trying to find Bella. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. She held out her hand and whispered: "Expecto Patronum." Her Patronus flowed gently out of her arm, before morphing into the form she had become accustomed to seeing since the incident: a ghostly portrayal of Bella. "Find her," she commanded the Patronus-Bella, and it slowly floated down the hall, before morphing back into animal form. As the group followed, some of the other patients' curiosity got the better of them. Soon enough, there was a small gathering behind Hermione as they headed towards the same ward as Bella.

When they finally made it to the ward, Hermione opened the doors and walked inside. The other patients were staring at a particular room, as if transfixed with what was going on inside. "What are all these people staring at?" Ginny asked quietly, as if speaking at normal volume would break their trance like state.

"I dunno, Gin," Hermione replied, as the group moved closer to the private room. As they slowly opened the door, Hermione stood in shock as she saw Bella and the Longbottoms in a trance, eyes closed and heads down, all the while a faint aura surrounded them. "Bella… What is going on?" she asked.

As the aura faded, Bella woke from the trance and picked Alice and Frank up from the floor. "What is your name?" Bella asked.

"My name is Alice Longbottom," she replied.

"What do you remember?"

"Everything."

* * *

In no time at all, the news spread of the 'healing' of the Longbottoms, first throughout St Mungo's, then throughout the entire country. Bella had fast become the talk of the town, how she had brought them back from insanity. But some questioned her motives, thinking she was looking for empathy, that if she claimed she was doing some good deed then someone would do one for her.

Hermione knew different. After informing Neville of a change in his parents' condition, he raced over to the hospital to see them. When they greeted him with open arms and smiling knowing faces, he was overcome with joy; he had never been greeted by them like this, they barely even knew he was related to them. When he asked who has given him back his parents, she told him that it was Bella's doing.

Neville headed over to Bella's room, where she was talking with some reporters for the Daily Prophet. After telling them he wanted to speak with her alone, they left out of respect; not just for him, but for her as well. "Why did you do this?" he asked after contemplating for a bit. "What do you gain in return?"

"Neville, all I want is a fresh start," she replied. "The best way to do that is by doing good deeds for others. One of those things that I needed to do was return the lives of your parents that I took."

"Tell me what happened that night, the night you attacked my parents."

"We were told by Voldemort to go and find the children who could grow up to stop him, as per a prophecy he had found. One of course, was Harry Potter; the other was you. The Order of the Phoenix put both your parents into protective custody, as well as the Potters. Eventually, we found out where they were keeping you and we struck. We interrogated your parents on where the boy was, but they said that he was safe. Then the Order appeared and drove us away. 3 days later, we hear news of Voldemort's disappearance. My late husband and his brother ran off to find your family, and I followed them. They attacked and tortured your parents, but they were strong. Eventually their minds broke, and you came crawling towards them. The men wanted to kill all three of them, but I said no; I said that even Death Eaters had to adhere to a code of honour, even amongst ourselves. But their bloodlust was too great, and they started firing curses everywhere, and I tried to protect you. One of my deflections hit a passer-by, and within minutes the Ministry had arrived, looking for us. I fled, along with you; while the Ministry Aurors tended to their own, your parents. I found your grandmother's home, and gave you to her. She realised what I had done, saving you despite being a Death Eater. A few hours later, I was arrested by the Ministry for murdering the Muggle passer-by, and for my part in the torture of your parents."

Neville digested this tale carefully; his Nan had never mentioned him being rescued by her, nor did she display any outward sign of affection towards Bella. "Why did my nan never say anything?"

"She knew what I did that night, and when it emerged that I was a killer, and was part of what happened to your parents she was angry. She came to the Ministry's holding area before the trial, supposedly 'to give me a piece of her mind'; but in actuality, it was to discover the truth. She kept the truth from the world for so long, even from you; and for that I am truly sorry, Neville."

As Neville accepted her apology, and forgave her; he now had a new life to begin alongside his parents. Bella was discharged from the hospital a few days later, and greeted the November sun with glee.

"So Bella, how do you feel being out of that stuffy hospital?" Hermione asked when they got back to Black Manor.

"I feel better than ever, but I feel best because I did something good." Bella's face was beaming like a kid in a candy store eyeing up the chocolates.

"What's up?" Hermione asked, noting Bella's cheery face.

"I haven't been home in ages; it just feels so warm and full of love." She glanced back to her lover and added "that may just be you though." As the two sat down in the lounge, Bella started fidgeting and glancing up and down.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Hermione asked.

"I wanted to ask you, if you want to see your parents?" Bella said slowly. She looked at Hermione and her lover could tell that she was truly sincere.

"If you really want to go to find my parents, then we will go over the Christmas Break, and we will go via Muggle aeroplane," Hermione said after thinking it through. "I think if we drop off the radar a little bit then maybe all the public interest in you will go away. Going via Muggle transport is going to help us achieve that, plus I don't think Apparating to Australia is best for our baby."

"I think I can live with that," Bella replied happily, giving Hermione a gentle loving cuddle to cement their decision.


	26. Summer Down Under

**Hello all, it has been a while, sorry for the wait, but there has been a lot of things to deal with over the last six months, both with my future, and with my present. Just to let you know, I graduate in a few weeks time, while I start my Master's course in September. I intend to finish this story by then, although I am not giving a specific date. **

**I hope you all have a good summer, and enjoy the continuation of this story.**

* * *

As the last day of term approached, Hermione was more excited than ever. Not just because she was about to meet her parents again, but that her baby bump was now visible to the trained eye, and noticeable to the untrained. She was now almost 8 months pregnant, and it was starting to mess with her emotions, but thanks to the help of Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall, she was able to keep them in check.

As the students hurried to the Hogsmede station to board the train home to see their families, Hermione waited patiently at the castle. She and Bella had agreed to let the others go home before they set off, their plan being to travel from a nearby Scottish airport to minimise Hermione's travelling. McGonagall had been more than happy to aid them in this endeavour, knowing the reasons she had taken the liberty of buying plane tickets for them, as well as exchanging some gold for Muggle cash at Gringotts. As Bella walked towards the castle, with suitcase in tow, Hermione came to meet her with open arms; and an entourage.

"How are you feeling, Bellatrix?" McGonagall asked as the pair of young lovers embraced one another.

"Much better, thank you;" she replied, after escaping from a lengthy oral duel with Hermione. Truth be told, she had never looked, nor felt better than she did now. The pair let go and Hermione picked up her bags.

"You ready, Bella?" she asked her lover, who immediately nodded her head in agreement.

"Enjoy your trip, you two," Tom said as the two left for the airport. The plan was to get there by train, so using the Muggle money, which of course Bella knew nothing about; the two were able to buy tickets and were soon on their way. The train was quiet today, only a few passengers on it, so Hermione spent the journey explaining the currency to her. Bella was fascinated, throughout her entire life she had been raised that Muggle business was none of her concern. She had skipped Muggle Studies during her education, and in fact knew very little about how the Muggle world operated. Hermione had a lot of time to explain it though.

* * *

After the hour long train ride, the pair reached the airport. Finding out that they were two hours early for their flight, and that it was now 8pm, Hermione decided they should get some dinner. So after checking in their luggage, the pair headed for a small diner in the shopping centre. The waitress at first didn't want to serve 'a couple of lesbians', but after a stern dressing down from her supervisor, as well as Bella offhandedly mentioning that they were going on a trip as friends, she agreed to serve them. As with the train, the diner was very quiet, save for the 80-year old couple sitting next to the counter. Bella was giddy with excitement, and wanted to eat as fast as she could to get on the plane; however Hermione noted that if she did, she would probably be ill on the plane.

Bella relented and began eating at a slower pace. Hermione kept up the illusion that they were merely good friends by making small jokes to amuse each other while they ate. Finally, the announcement was made that their plane was now ready for boarding, so the two paid their bill and headed toward the plane.

"Which seats are ours again?" Bella muttered as she searched the ticket for a seat number.

"30A and 30B," Hermione pointed out, indicating the bold printed number in the left corner of the tickets. The two shared a giggle as they sat down, and Hermione quietly told her everything she knew about planes. Bella was beyond fascinated, so when the safety demonstration occurred, she listened intently to what the stewardess had to say. To any observers, it would look like a 19-20 year old teen on her first ever holiday abroad. Needless to say, Bella was a plane virgin, much to the amusement of Hermione. The plane journey was to take 18 hours total flight time, with a one day stopover in Hong Kong before continuing to Sydney. Bella tried to watch the TV shows, something Hermione had also shown her as part of her 'Muggle Education', however eventually Bella got tired and fell asleep, Hermione soon following suit.

The pair was woken up a few hours later by the plane's PA, telling them that they would be landing in Hong Kong shortly. Hermione told Bella a brief synopsis abut Hong Kong and that it was one of the places she had always wanted to visit. Bella agreed, saying that she loved Chinese food, and would have loved to go to an authentic Chinese restaurant. As the plane landed, the jolt from the landing made Bella jump, she certainly didn't expect it, and Hermione hadn't told her. Needless to say, when Hermione looked at her friend, she saw her white as a sheet, and gripping tightly to the armrests. After the obligatory giggle at Bella's expense, Hermione helped her up and the two got their bags and headed for the exit. As the early morning sun greeted the pair as they stepped off the plane and headed toward the shuttle bus, Hermione took in the sight of a new city, one she had never been to and desperately wanted to explore.

"Come on, Bella! Let's get our things and start exploring!" she said, giddy with excitement like a child in a candy store. Bella meanwhile was being more level headed about everything.

"Hun, you need to calm down." She placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder, gently calming her. "We need to find out when the plane leaves for Sydney."

The two headed for the baggage collection, taking their suitcases and heading towards the storage department. As the clerk explained the situation to Bella, Hermione's head started swimming, and she staggered over to an empty bench.

"I'm sorry, miss; but is your friend alright?" the clerk asked Bella. She turned round and saw Hermione, pale and shaky with her head in her hands.

"Can you get me a bottle of water, quickly!" she said to the clerk, who raced off to a vendor, while Bella headed to Hermione's side. She was checking everything: pulse, temperature; she even instinctively checked on her stomach, to see if the baby was alright. As the clerk and a first aider rushed over, Bella kept tight hold of Hermione's hand.

* * *

"… She will need to try and get some rest today, Miss Black…"

"Will she be able to fly out to Sydney tonight?"

"If her condition doesn't improve, I may need to ground her on medical reasons and have her transferred to Hong Kong General hospital."

Hermione slowly woke up, and even though her vision was hazy, she could make out Bella talking to a nurse. She could hear plane engines in the background, telling her that she was still at the airport.

"Hey Hermione," Bella said as she sat down next to the bed, while the nurse politely excused herself from the room. "How do you feel?"

Hermione tried to sit upright, and with some aid from Bella, soon got comfortable. "I'm still a bit shaky, but otherwise alright. What happened?"

"You blacked out, near to the storeroom," Bella informed her. "The nurse says she may need to keep you here in case it has something to do with your pregnancy."

"What time does the plane take off?" she asked, taking a sip of water to ease her thirst.

"Midnight, scheduled to arrive in Sydney around 8am local time." Bella headed around to the curtains and crossed them, making sure the door was securely locked for good measure.

She started concentrating, a faint yellow glow emanating from her palms, which then slowly made its way towards Hermione. After it was complete, Hermione started to feel a whole lot better. "Why did you use magic, do you realise you could get us both in trouble?" she whispered, so as not to allow any eavesdroppers to hear.

"To be honest, I don't want to leave you here, and you deserve to find your parents." She helped Hermione out of the bed. Hermione actually felt much better now; she could see clearly, and she didn't feel dizzy in the slightest.

"What spell did you just use?" she asked.

"It is a spell I would use back in my own school days, when I would feel ill I would use that spell to remove the effects of whatever was causing me discomfort, at least for a while." She opened the door and the two walked out, telling the nurse that Hermione felt much better and that they were going to do some sightseeing for the remainder of the afternoon.

* * *

The sightseeing in question was the pair walking around Hong Kong checking out various English speaking shopkeepers and vendors in one of the many bazaars in Hong Kong, until they found a charm stall. The vendor said that the charms would bring fortune and luck for those who carried them. Reading the English translations of several charms, the pair decided on purchasing a trio of charms: Hope, Love, and Fortune. The vendor told them that the charms were enchanted by a mystic, and that they would bring benefits for years to come. On a normal day, a passing tourist would scoff at the idea of magic; however the look in the two women's eyes confirmed the vendor's suspicions.

"Judging by your faces, am I safe in assuming that you know more about magic than most other tourists?" the vendor asked. The two looked at each other and smirked; this man was a wizard, and he was selling his trade in plain sight. Hermione subtly levitated one of the other symbols, 'Faith', and the three understood. "I may have a special selection for those, versed, in the art of spellcasting," the vendor hinted, indicating the rear of the stall, heading into a tent. The two followed him, and found a myriad of magical items, some Chinese, others from around the world.

"I am a collector of magical artefacts, and while the trinkets in the stall are a way of fooling the Muggles, witches like yourselves are less likely to be fooled." He pulled out a small cardboard box, filled with pendants and necklaces, before finding the one that he was interested in. "If I am correct, you are searching for those whose memories are lost to the sands of time. The pendant allows the wearer to see memories that were previously undone, images of a time forgotten. I believe that it may be of use to you."

Bella eyed the vendor suspiciously; she wasn't one to trust peddlers on the street, especially those who peddle to tourists. "How do we know that the pendant works?" she asked, but the vendor's smile just widened.

"The wind tells me you wish to locate lost memories; I have nothing to hide from the wind. If you distrust the pendant's power, then you should test it yourself." With this, the vendor tossed the pendant over to Bella, and as soon as she caught it, images flashed before her eyes.

_A young girl with long flowing black hair, playing in the grass, her innocence a wondrous yet fragile ideal._

_A teenager, ebon hair curled and untamed, taking exams in school. She wrote confidently as her classmates struggled._

_A young adult, watching the carnage and laughing at the destruction of a Muggle village. She fell in love with hearing the screams of terror._

_A gaunt and mad witch, lying in a cold, dank cell, while beasts of darkness patrol outside, sucking all the happiness away. A single tear, falling and dropping onto the floor; and the beasts swarmed, taking every last ounce of passion from it, before continuing their duty._

_The dark, cold, stormy night; the night she wished everything would just end. Ready to take the final step. Ready to fall._

_The moment her compatriots and co-conspirators rescued her from the walls of her prison. The feelings she felt, the rush of freedom. _

_A dark room. A knife, and a teen; young, talented and defiant. An enemy. The moment when a choice was made, one which changed an entire world._

Bella dropped to her knees, clutching the pendant tightly in her palm. The surge of memories, some locked away, others forgotten, and one eliminated entirely."What did you do to her?" Hermione said, raising her arms defensively against the vendor.

"The pendant shows her the memories she had forgotten, both the good, and the bad." He walked over to her and helped Bella up onto her feet. "The pendant is yours, use it well," with that, he led them to the entrance, where he parted ways with the two, Bella still shaken up.

"Bella, are you alright?" Hermione asked; aware that the two could now be heard by Muggles, she avoided mentioning anything to do with magic.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." She straightened herself up, and pocketed the necklace. "Let's get a move on, I'm hungry."

"Alright," Hermione agreed. "Let's find a restaurant and grab a bite." The two headed out of the bazaar, and off towards one of the restaurants they had passed on their way from the airport. The restaurant in question was a small Chinese café, and was apparently run by a family, as there were several generations of people working there, all loving and caring towards each other. The café had menus printed in both Chinese and in European languages, including Spanish, French, and of course English. The two sat in a corner booth, and after ordering some drinks and starters, got to the heart of the matter.

"Tell me Bella, what did that pendant show you?" Hermione asked, a tender hand comforting her friends own.

Bella was still a bit shaken, but resolved to let Hermione know. She lowered the mental barriers, allowing her access to all the forgotten and locked memories of yesteryear.

Hermione saw all of the memories in a split second, and she realised just how traumatic Bella's life truly had been, for all the bravado and cockiness, she was still just a scared little girl, frightened that the person she cares about could end up like any of those souls before her.

"Now do you see how much pain I went through in that hospital?" Bella whispered. "All my life I have lived in fear of the day that I have to answer for the decisions I have made."

"Well, perhaps we can fear that day, together;" Hermione replied, and the two embraced each other. No kisses or words were necessary for them this time, just the warmth of each other was comfort enough.

As the meal progressed, Bella ended up applying the healing spell once more on Hermione, and once the meal was over, they headed to the bathroom to 'freshen up', but in reality, it was to figure out just what was wrong with Hermione.

As Hermione locked the bathroom door, Bella began concentrating, scanning Hermione's body for trauma or injury. When that failed, she scanned the unborn baby, but it too was devoid of injury. "Perhaps I am just having some late pregnancy morning sickness," Hermione suggested, and it was something that they ended up conceding to. They were so close to their goal, they didn't want to turn back now.

They called a taxi and headed back to the airport and after a quick supper, boarded the plane and settled down for the night. A few hours later, they were woken up by the sound of crashing thunder, and the bright flashes of lightning. As Bella sat wide eyed in shock, Hermione held her, silently comforting her as the storm thrashed around them.

"This is the Captain," a voice rang out amidst the maelstrom of wind and thunder; "we are experiencing some severe turbulence, and therefore the 'Seatbelt' sign has been turned on. Will all passengers and staff wear their seatbelts for the duration of the turbulent period for their own safety." Bella didn't hear a single word of this; the lightning was provoking too many memories of Azkaban, with its eternal storms and near constant lightning being thrust into her mind's eye. To her, she was in hell once more.

"Bella, are you scared of lightning?" Hermione asked, but as the brunette turned Bella's face towards her, it spoke of the contrary – that what she associated with lightning, that was her biggest fear. "You associate lightning with Azkaban, don't you?" A meek nod confirmed Hermione's suspicions. "I promise, you will not go back there again, as long as I live, you will be with me, Bellatrix."

As another crack of thunder echoed close to the plane, Bella snapped out of her reverie and glanced around; like a deer caught in headlights she didn't know what to do. The thunder wouldn't let her sleep; the turbulence would keep her alert. All she could hope for was comfort, in the darkness of the pacific night. "Hermione?" she whispered softly, "I don't know what is going to happen…"

"I'm here for you, Bella," Hermione whispered back, reaching an arm across her back and allowing Bella to rest her head on her shoulder. "We will be here for you," she reminded herself, knowing that the baby would also love Bella, and would always care about her.

* * *

As morning shone on the sleepy plane, the passengers slowly started to wake up. The storm was so bad, that the plane had made a detour, and landed on a small island runway. The locals were kind enough to sell the cabin crew some fuel for the final leg of the journey, and the captain had decided that the best course of action would be to let the passengers sleep through the night.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are ready to re-embark on our journey to Australia, landing in Sydney in approximately two hours. Would the crew please prepare for take-off." Bella was the first of the two to wake, and immediately noticed that her hand had subconsciously moved to Hermione's baby bump, most likely in her sleep. Bella started slowly and gently massaging the pregnant belly of her lover, with the baby kicking every few seconds, putting a smile on Bella's otherwise blue face.

Hermione soon became aware of the movement and groggily rose from her sleep. With the faint roar of the engines in the background, she became aware that they were still on the plane. "What's going on, Bella?" she hazily asked, adding a rather large yawn to her question.

This amused Bella, as Hermione wasn't usually someone who slept like a log. "We are somewhere between Hong Kong and Sydney, and about to take off. We should be there in about two hours." As she said this, the baby gave a particularly strong kick, one which Bella and Hermione felt. "I don't think the baby likes being on a plane much," Bella laughed, causing Hermione to chuckle alongside her.

Once the plane was in the air once more, the crew started to serve breakfast. The plane journey was now mostly uneventful, bar the couple who decided to apply for entry into the Mile High Club. Bella and Hermione spent the morning chatting with an elderly passenger across from them in the row, a grandmother who was very accepting of their situation, and despite the fact that no magic had been mentioned, she believed that these two were meant for each other, and once the plane finally landed, ended their acquaintance with a parting gift of wisdom – that love is eternal, and everyone has the right to feel it, no matter the decisions they make in life. Her words hit home to Bella, as this woman somehow knew what things she had done in the past, and yet didn't care. As the two left the airport and headed for the hotel, Bella gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek. While words were not said, the meaning was universal – 'I love you'.


	27. The Best Christmas Present

**Hello and welcome to another update to 'Choices'! There will be a couple more chapters left to finish off the story so don't worry... Enjoy!**

* * *

Sydney never looked so amazing, with its grand Opera House and stunning seaports. It was no surprise that Hermione felt like a little girl in a candy store; the sight was beautiful to her. As the pair entered the hotel they would be staying at, Hermione's glee could barely contain itself.

"I can't believe we are finally here, Bella," she squeed, looking round at the grand opulent atrium to the hotel. It looked magnificent, and given it was one of the best hotels in the world, it was hard not to see why. Even Bella seemed in awe of her surroundings.

"I have to agree with you there, Hermione. Sydney is gorgeous." Bella put her hands on Hermione's shoulders and the two drank in the beauty of the hotel, and Sydney in general. "Let's put our bags in our room and go for a walk, shall we?"

The two headed to reception, and the bubbly receptionist gave them their room and keys. There was even a special Christmas Lunch being organised by the hotel for Christmas Day, which was a mere 3 days away. They made their way to their room, and stood in awe once again at the brilliance of the hotel's suites. The carpet seemed to be cashmere, the standing bookshelf made from mahogany and the bed was a king-size, with rather expensive looking sheets. As the pair realised this, Bella started looking really sheepish.

"Bella, how much did this room cost?" Hermione asked her lover, who was looking more and more sheepish with each passing millisecond.

"I really don't want you to be mad at me, but…" Bella started, but she couldn't bring herself to say.

"Very well, if you don't want to say, then I will see for myself," Hermione replied. Focusing her mind, she probed into Bella's looking for this specific piece of information.

"Hermione, I wanted this trip to be a strong and happy memory for you, for us." Hermione couldn't believe how much Bella had paid for their trip. "I want you to be happy, especially for Christmas."

"Bella…" Hermione hugged Bella tighter than she ever had before, she was truly ecstatic that her best friend would go through all this trouble for her. "Thank you, my love."

* * *

The pair decided to go for some lunch before heading to the dentistry where they believed Hermione's parents worked. After quickly going and reapplying the healing charm in the bathroom, they paid the bill and headed off, turning a few heads as they did. After a bit of searching, with no luck, they asked an elderly gentleman who directed them to the surgery, even after saying they had two of the nicest smiles that he had ever seen.

Bella entered the surgery, with Hermione not too far behind; something about explaining this to her parents was suddenly starting to scare her to the core. Bella, slowly bringing Hermione with her, went into reception.

"Hi there, we are here to see Dr Granger," Bella said politely, resting a hand on Hermione's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down somewhat.

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist replied without even looking up at the two.

"Not really, but she missed an appointment and really needs to see them," Bella insisted, trying not to get angry at the girl's blatant rudeness. She looked up at the two, then down to the schedule.

"They have a slot free at 5pm today, if you want that," she replied, glancing up at Hermione once more, a puzzling look in her eye.

"We'll take it, thank you;" Bella said, heading for the door out.

"Excuse me," she said to Hermione as she started to turn, "have we met before? I know it must sound strange but you look vaguely familiar."

"Sorry, but I don't know." Hermione said, before dashing out the door.

Xxx

The dental surgery was right next to the beach waterfront, so the pair decided to go for a nice refreshing walk to clear their heads before the meeting. Bella was deep in thought, and deciding that looking in her mind wasn't the best course of action Hermione chose to ask her outright.

"You want to know why I froze up before, don't you Bella?" she asked, with only a silent nod from Bella confirming her suspicions. "I guess I'm scared of the whole thing; meeting my parents, explaining it all to them, waiting to see if they will accept me back into their lives."

Bella tenderly put her arm around her companion. "I don't know whether they will accept you or not, but you cannot be afraid of it. You just need hope that they understand." Bella lent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, just to further emphasise her point. "Even if they don't fully understand what happened, I'm sure they will understand your reasons."

The two made their way back to the surgery, a few minutes ahead of their appointment; however the receptionist let them in early as the surgery was empty at that point. They made their way up the stairs and into the room, slowly closing the door behind them.

"Ah, you must be our walk-ins," Hermione's dad, Philip Granger said. "My name is Dr Phil, and this is my wife, Dr Helen;" an assistant walked in and stood next to him. Bella instantly saw the resemblance; Hermione had her mother's untamed hair, and her dad's eyes. In fact, she could have passed for her mother in a picture, since they were so similar. "So, who is up first?" he asked the pair.

Once again, Hermione was frozen to the spot, so Bella volunteered. "Your friend looks nervous, miss?" Helen said. Bella merely smiled.

"Call me Bella. Yeah, she is quite nervous, as she doesn't like people pulling out her teeth," she chuckled, gaining a small chuckle from the two unsuspecting parents.

"Well I can guarantee you both that there will be no tooth-pulling today," Phil responded, eliciting a small smile from Hermione. "By the way, what is your name my dear?" he asked Hermione.

"Oh, erm. My name is Hermione," she said nervously, her confidence not rising in the slightest even with the friendly atmosphere.

"That's a very unusual name, but I like it," Helen said. "I feel like I have actually known someone with that name before, but I can't for the life of me remember where." Bella spared a knowing smirk towards Hermione as Phil started to examine her teeth.

'_So far so good, hun_;' Bella said mentally to Hermione, who was getting more and more comfortable with the situation. '_They seem to remember the name, which is a start, so try asking about them, see if they can't spark some memories._'

"So tell me a little bit about you, Hermione," Phil asked. "You don't sound Australian."

"Well, neither do you, doctor;" she responded, earning a smile from the two. "It sounds like an English accent, come to think of it."

Phil chuckled, "yes, we both originally come from England. A little village north of London. It was actually really quaint there. Then we got a job offer here and we emigrated."

"Was there anything holding you there, in England?" Hermione inquired, probing for some fragment of memory to appear. She didn't want to use magic unless she had to, as that might damage their minds completely.

"Not really," Helen replied this time. "We had always wanted children, but we could never conceive. A lot of the people we talked to had either passed away or moved, and we had a good opportunity here." She glanced over to Hermione, noticing her baby bump. "How long do you have left?"

"Oh, only a few more days to go, maybe even after New Year's." Hermione didn't know what to do at this point, she couldn't think of the questions to ask, and she was getting more and more flustered as time went on.

Bella decided to help a little bit by 'accidentally' opening her jacket, allowing the two doctors to see the Memory Pendant the sage had given them back in Hong Kong. "My, that is a beautiful necklace you have there, Bella;" Phil said as he finished the examination.

Bella got up from the chair and invited Hermione to sit down. "We were in Hong Kong recently; it was a nice piece of jewellery, so I bought it." She reached back and undid the clasp removing it from her neck. "Although, apparently it better suits someone with blue eyes." She offered to let Helen try it on, and as Phil prepared the next set of tools, Bella helped put the pendant on her.

"What do you think, Phil?" she asked, posing a little to show off the necklace.

"It does look good on you, honey," he replied, mesmerised by the pendant. The pendant was starting to have its desired effect, causing a few memories from Hermione's childhood to manifest. Bella urged Hermione to delve into their minds, to further reinforce the memories.

As the memories started to get stronger, and the little girl started to grow up, the effects ebbed towards Phil, who also started to see the memories. With the strength ever increasing, Hermione made her presence known in their minds.

'_Remember me…_'

As the effects of the pendant faded, the pair dropped to the floor, Hermione and Bella quickly catching them and keeping them steady. "Do you know who I am?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, you are our daughter," a teary eyed Helen whispered, hugging her long lost daughter. As she did, Phil came over and joined the hug, crying as he rarely would except for extremely good news.

"There is something else you should know, Mr and Mrs Granger," Bella said smiling, as the two looked at her.

Hermione broke the hug and headed towards Bella, and the two made a small display of magic to prove themselves. "We are witches."

* * *

The trip was a success, with the pendant and the subtle hints and questioning bringing back Hermione's parents' memories. Besides the usual, 'Why? How? When? and Thank you' that they got; the doctors also asked them if they wanted to go for dinner to celebrate. Even the receptionist was shocked when she was told Hermione was their daughter.

The four found a lovely restaurant on the seafront, and after sorting out a reservation for later that evening, headed back to change and get ready. Hermione it seemed was much more relaxed now that she had her parents back, but the biggest test was yet to come. "How do I tell them that you are the, erm, 'parent' of this child?" she asked Bella, who was doing her hair up at this moment in time.

"I have no idea," Bella replied. "I don't think anyone could have thought of how to say it. If anything, just tell them the truth."

"I don't know which is harder; telling them I'm a witch, or that I'm a lesbian."

"Now, now," Bella came and sat down next to Hermione, stroking the bulging belly of her lover as she did, "we will make it through this, lesbian or not. Besides, I think they would be glad to have a granddaughter, as long as her parents love her to bits. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You're right, Bella, I'm sure they will accept you, and the baby is going to love them too." Hermione nuzzled Bella's neck gently, and the two fell back into the bed, softly kissing one another, happy that the other would always be there for them.

The four finally arrived back at the restaurant and were seated. The Grangers were apparently good friends with the Maître D, as he managed to get them a quiet windowside table for four. As they ordered, Hermione started feeling woozy once more, so Bella subtly used the Healing Charm on her, to Phil and Helen's awe.

"How much magic can you do?" Phil asked; aware that they needed to be quiet about the whole thing they had agreed to speak quietly throughout the evening.

"While we can do virtually any spell and charm that we have come across, most of the time we have to limit what we can do." Bella removed her hand from Hermione and conferred with Hermione over whether she was feeling better. "This charm for example allows for people to eliminate whatever illness is ailing them, for a short time at least."

"Amazing," Helen whispered, clearly still in awe after being told about the wizarding world all over again.

"There is one thing we haven't told you about yet;" Hermione said, looking over to Bella for permission. "Me and Bella, we, erm, well…"

Helen seemed to understand immediately what she wanted to say. "Do you love her, Bella?" This caught Bella off guard, and she quickly nodded her head in confirmation. "Hermione, do you love Bella?"

"Bella is the kindest woman I have ever met. When we first met each other there was a connection between us – mortal enemies of one another. But almost a year ago, we got into a situation which changed both our lives. We were able to give each other what they had been longing for. Bella wanted a companion, and she found one in me in the same way I found one in her. I love her, and she loves me just as much." She grasped Bella's hand and gave away the bombshell:

"This baby is mine and Bella's daughter."

* * *

**Just a quick question everyone, "What do you think the title of this chapter refers to?"**


	28. Emergency at 27'000 ft

**Here is the final stretch, the last few chapters of the story. I hope you all enjoy this final set of chapters and to everyone that has been reading from the start, I thank you.**

* * *

The Grangers took the news of their granddaughters parentage quite well, even congratulating them like any parent would. Helen said that she suspected that they would be together, moreso than just friends. Phil was just glad that his daughter was happy. With the secret out, the rest of the night went fairly quickly, the four toasted for the baby, and even shared a few tales of the previous year. Bella even bragged about how brave their daughter was during the Battle of Hogwarts.

The rest of the holiday seemed to fly by; Helen took the two shopping for proper Christmas Presents, including gifts for them to take home. Phil looked for a job back in the UK, hoping they could move back after New Year. Even Christmas was packed with happiness; Hermione invited her parents to the hotels Christmas Dinner, and after some exchanging of presents, Helen gave the two a new gift – a pink headdress for her granddaughter.

The healing charm that Bella was applying was starting to have less and less effect each time it was used. Even using it multiple times in a short space of time didn't seem to help. Helen put it down to generic pregnancy illness, and assured her that it would subside when the baby was born.

Phil found an old contact in a British Dental Practice a few days later that were hiring. After an impressive phone interview, the manager gave them the jobs, which gave the four another reason to celebrate. The Grangers packed their belongings and delivered them to a Freight company, to be delivered to England, while they would fly back themselves on New Year's Eve alongside Bella and Hermione. Bella even insisted that the pair stay at Black Manor until they got their own place, noting that Helen's help would be invaluable in raising her child.

New Year's Eve finally arrived, and with a fond farewell to Sydney, the four headed to the airport to head home. Hermione was now requiring almost constant charming, and neither she nor her parents could figure out why she was so ill. Nevertheless, she was able to convince the airport security that she was fit to fly, albeit with some subtle magical aid involved. The four made their way to the plane, and pretty soon they were on their way back to Britain. The flight was a nonstop trip across the Pacific and Atlantic, so there was a lot of time for them to relax on the plane.

* * *

The plane had been flying for 5 hours and the time was nearing midnight locally in England. Everyone was getting ready to celebrate, with complementary party food being served to all the passengers. Normally this would excite anyone; but today, Hermione just wanted to sleep. She had felt extremely tired all day, although she just put this down to a side effect of the healing charms overuse. As the clock clicked midnight and everyone celebrated, Hermione felt a massive surge of pain in her abdomen. She quickly got up and headed to the bathroom, managing to drag Bella in with her.

As the bathroom door closed Hermione felt another surge of pain, and she slid down the wall in an attempt to steady herself. Bella observed a wetness coming from Hermione's pants, and started to unbutton her blouse.

"I think my water just broke," Hermione gasped in between surges of pain. As Bella removed Hermione's pants so as to get a better look, she saw that Hermione was bleeding. She quickly stymied some of the bleeding before opening the bathroom door.

"Is there a doctor here, I need help!" she yelled out, her plea piercing the merry jubilations of the New Year celebrations. The plane went deathly quiet, as all attention suddenly pointed towards the source of the voice. Members of the crew started to head over to the bathroom with first aid kits, while another got on the planes intercom asking the entire plane if there was a doctor on board.

As someone escorted an elderly man towards the bathroom, claiming that he was a surgeon, Bella was joined by Mr and Mrs Granger, and in an effort to give themselves more room, started to move Hermione out of the bathroom and into a wider space. A businessman, who had heard the commotion over the tannoy offered to assist them by giving them his space in First Class. The group aided Hermione over to the First Class section when the plane was jerked violently, knocking a stewardess sideways into a seat armrest.

'_Ladies and Gentlemen this is the Captain speaking. We are about to hit some unavoidable turbulence, so I would like to advise all passengers to take their seats and observe the '_Seatbelt ON_' sign. Thank you.'_

* * *

Bella got up and looked out of the window, and saw that they had flown into a Mid-Atlantic storm. Heavy rain and strong winds buffeted the windows and exterior of the plane. A flash of lightning illuminated the clouds and the thunder boomed around the cabin. Everything was reminding her of that night at Black Manor, and she was frozen in place. As another bout of turbulence rocked the plane, she was grabbed by Philip, and directed back to Hermione. As the surgeon arrived in First Class, the group realised that she was having problems with the birth. The surgeon suggested a Caesarean section as the best possible course of action, but given the lack of surgical tools, it would be an impossible task. As Hermione's pain increased, Bella had a thought.

"Helen, do you still have that pendant I showed you?" she asked. Helen replied affirmatively and handed her the memory pendant the wizard gave her back in Hong Kong. As she put it on, she saw a memory all but forgotten to her: Draco's birth.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry about what I'm about to do…" Bella straightened up and started to seal the First Class area using magic, all the while the Muggles watching in shock. Next she transfigured several pieces of cutlery into surgical equipment from her memory of Draco's birth, before finally focussing on a charm she remembered the medi-witch casting at the time.

"Bella, what are you doing?" Helen asked, as the scalpels and other equipment fully formed on the ground.

"You needed surgical tools, now you have them. I will explain when we land. Right now, we have a job to do." Bella began chanting in a very quiet, almost trance like state. Hermione felt all of the pain she was feeling slip away, as a pale yellow mist emanated towards her and cloaked her abdomen.

Dr Bates, the surgeon was the first to get over the show of magic, and quickly realised what Bella was up to. "She is giving her some kind of magical anaesthetic, so I can perform the surgery." As he picked up the scalpel, another piece of turbulence rocked the plane. "The plane needs to be as steady as possible," he said to the only remaining stewardess, who quickly notified the Captain. In response, there was a quick ascension followed by a rapid levelling.

"Hopefully, we should be clear of the turbulence for a few minutes, although I'm not sure how long we can stay at this altitude," the Captain said to his fellow crewmember.

With the plane levelled, the doctor began surgery, with Bella providing pain relief, and Philip and Helen acting as midwives. Given the lack of time, the surgeon worked as quickly as he was able, with Bella aiding in healing any stray marks that he left. After fifteen minutes the feverishly quiet cabin delivered the baby girl, and with some magical assistance the new-born arrived and took her first breaths.

As Bella drew away the anaesthetic and helped to clean up Hermione's body an explosion rocked the plane. Bates was flung into the wall, shielding the baby from the brunt of the blow, while Bella and Hermione were thrown into the cockpit door. Philip looked out of the window, and saw a great blaze emanating from the right hand side of the plane.

With Hermione dazed from the blast, Bella saw the cockpit door creak open, buckled from the impact. Bella saw the co-pilot injured in his seat, and the Captain frenetically checking gauges and desperately trying to steady the descent of the plane. "What just happened?" Bella gasped, catching her breath.

"One of the engines has just exploded, we lost power to that side and we are rapidly losing fuel," the Captain replied. One of the crew headed in to tend to the injured co-pilot, while Helen headed over to Dr Bates and the baby. With another piece of turbulence rocking the plane, the Captain suddenly lost all power, and the plane began to plummet downwards. With the plane in freefall, Hermione started sobbing.

Bella floated towards her and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look at her. "I swear to you, Hermione Granger, I am not about to lose you, or our baby. Not even the secrecy of magic is going to stop me from saving this plane." She gathered every fibre of her body and started to cast, the Muggles, the pilots, and even her girlfriend, watching her break every code in the wizarding world.

"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSAAAAAA!"

* * *

**The final chapters should be uploaded this week, and they should wrap up what has been an excellent experience for everyone.**


	29. Aftermath

**Here we are people, the final stretch. The final chapter will be out on Sunday 1st, and it should close out this story with an amazing finale. Enjoy!**

* * *

On New Year's Day, 1999; the Wizarding World was in crisis. Following the plane crash the Muggle Prime Minister and Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt were in discussions over what to do. They had seen the footage of the crash, the flaming wreck glowing with violet energy before crashing into an Irish field. The meeting was essentially to work out how to effectively deal with the global reveal of magic, with Shacklebolt desperately trying to work out a way to continue to hide magic from the world. Eventually, Ron Weasley, an ally of Shacklebolt suggested a radical solution: cover up the crash as an illusion – a stunt for a reality show. The Muggle Prime Minister agreed to the plan, and Ron decided on a stage name to protect his family: later that year, he was performing in New York as an illusionist and street magician under the pseudonym David Blaine.

Ginny Weasley gave birth to her twins later in January, and named them after their paternal grandparents: James Sirius Weasley and Lily Luna Weasley. James was a prankster, like the rest of his family, continually picking on his sister; while Lily was shy and reserved, choosing to play quietly in her room as opposed to playing with others.

Bill and Fleur Weasley's daughter Victorie was born in May of 2000, a gorgeous blonde baby whose grandparents would dote on her at every opportunity. She got on well with her cousins and was very friendly with her friends. She was born on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and she would always re-enact the battle with her dolls.

Draco Malfoy fell in love with a gorgeous Muggle teenager, and in October of 2000, she gave birth to his son, Scorpius. However, their clandestine relationship was discovered by Lucius, and on his urging, she left Draco and her baby. After rumours emerged that Lucius had in fact murdered her, the Ministry investigated, and Lucius was eventually killed in a firefight between himself and several Aurors. After this, Draco and his mother Narcissa decided to disown Lucius from their bloodline and raise Scorpius themselves.

In November, while on tour in Britain, Ron met an actress at an awards ceremony; and the two started dating. Emma Watson, who was a star of a fantasy film series was enamoured with the famed illusionist, and the two became an item soon after. Ron and Emma became married in July of 2001, and she gave birth to their first child Hugo in December of that year.

In September 2001, the world was rocked by its newest threat. A group of Dark Wizards used Imperiused men to cause the largest terrorist attack in recent history. In response to the threat of the 'Dark Army', Shacklebolt organised a new Department within the Ministry – The Department of Wartime Affairs, headed by the Undersecretary Percy Weasley. Weasley would converse with military leaders around the world to organise a task force capable of capturing the Dark Army. It was later discovered that they were being led by one of Albus Dumbledore's former pupils, now going under the Arabian alias Osama, in order to fit in with his allies. Percy discovered that 'Osama' had amassed an army of wizards and Muggles with which to rule the world by magic and by force. The world council subsequently declared war on this group, collectively known as the Taliban; with the American forces leading the fight.

On Halloween 2001, the incumbent Grim Reaper, Harry Potter came to see his girlfriend Ginny Weasley, and proposed to her. He claimed that he would be able to be with her once more, and he would just need to find a way to be with her on a regular basis. At the time, she was unsure about what he meant, but she trusted him and would wait for that day to come. In the summer of 2002 she gave birth to her third child, a little boy. She decided to name him after the two Hogwarts Headmasters of her time: Dumbledore and Snape.

Teddy Lupin, the son of the late werewolf Remus Lupin and his wife Tonks, was born prior to the Battle of Hogwarts and upon his parents death was raised by his grandmother, Andromeda Tonks. He inherited his mother's metamorphic skills, but thankfully not his father's lycanthropy. Ginny, Bill and Fleur were named his Godparents, and he would visit the three often over the years.

In August of 2002 Ron and Emma had their second child, Rose. Rose was extremely clever, and able to start casting magic at an early age. Ron would teach his two children as much as he could over the next few years to prepare them for life in the Wizarding World.

Neville became a professor of Herbology in 2004, passing his final exam with flying colours. Dean McGonagall, as the role of Headmaster had become; welcomed him into the Faculty with open arms. His fiancée Luna Lovegood would later join him on the Faculty List as Professor of 'Care of Magical Creatures', taking over from Hagrid, who would now teach its NEWT classes – which dealt with larger and more dangerous creatures that a wizard may encounter. His classes frequently brought in an old friend, 'Dragontamer' Charlie Weasley, who would teach the students about handling dragons, by bringing along his tame _Norwegian Ridgeback_, Norberta, who was originally born in Hagrid's hut years ago.

George Weasley continued his joke shop trade, gaining much notoriety around the country for his and his late twin brother's inventions. He later married his Quidditch teammate, Angelina Johnson and together they had two children – Fred Weasley II and Roxanne Weasley in 2008 and 2010 respectively.

Tom Riddle continued working at Hogwarts in the role of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts for many more years. His experiences as the Dark wizard Voldemort gave him valuable insight into the kinds of things wizards might have to deal with. Along with the use of the Resurrection Stone, he was able to rebuild the Duelling Club, using spectral teachers to teach students how to use combat spells. Notable teachers included the prior two headmasters as well as several duelling champions.

And as for Hermione, Bella and their daughter?

* * *

The passengers on the plane all survived the crash thanks to Bella's efforts. Only a few people were injured severely, including Bella receiving a scar across her right eye from a flying piece of shrapnel. Hermione and Bella would become married on their daughters first birthday, at midnight on the eve of the new millennium. Despite the circumstances of her birth she was a very energetic child. She possessed innate magical abilities, one of which was her ability to turn into an animal, a raven specifically. She was therefore named Raven because in the hospital where the three were staying shortly after the crash occurred, the newborn would shift into that of a raven chick, and then shift back almost a minute later. As she got older, she was able to control her powers, and even learned how to fly.

The Black family came to live permanently at Black Manor, alongside Hermione's parents and Claire. Between the five of them, Raven lived a very happy childhood, and with her friend Teddy visiting every other week, and her relative Scorpius visiting on occasion, she was never short of friends. The Grangers found work in London, and eventually moved, but not before they were given a parting gift; the friendship of the house elf Kreacher. He began working for the two, in the same capacity as his friend Claire would for the Black family. He enjoyed working for people who appreciated him, and they would regularly visit Bella and Raven over the years.

Hermione and Bella became self-employed, working alongside the Ministry to better the welfare of wizards and sentient creatures such as Elves and Centaurs. This gave them freedom around their job, as well as allowing them to comfortably raise Raven from the comfort of their own home.

Eventually, Bella retired from this and instead became an author, writing a series of novels for teens based on the magical world. She would use events from her life, and base her stories around that. Her best received works were a series about teenage vampires who fell in love; and then had to fight in a war between themselves and other creatures.

And of course, every story must have an ending…


	30. Fifteen Years Later

"Come on, you guys; we're gonna miss the train," Raven said as she excitedly shook her parents awake. Hermione was the first to awaken, and saw her pretty teenage daughter standing at the nearside of her bed. Looking at the alarm clock, she saw that it was only 7:04am, plenty of time to get ready.

"Go back to bed, hun, it isn't even 9 o'clock," she replied groggily. As she pulled the covers back over herself, Raven pouted, before tossing a jug of cold water over her mother. As Hermione shot up, Bella turned over, and saw her wife soaked to the bone.

"Well, I could do with a shower;" she said getting out of the bed and shedding her underwear. "Would you care to join me?" she offered, the now wide awake brunette quickly jumping out of the bed and out of her now wet underwear to accompany her.

By the time the pair had finished Raven was already well underway with cooking her parents a traditional English breakfast: grilled sausages and bacon, poached eggs and a splash of baked beans. It was also traditional in that it was the same breakfast they would have each year before Raven headed to Hogwarts for the year. Claire was busying herself with the table and Crookshanks was sitting on the couch, relaxing as they busied themselves around him.

"I see the lovebirds have been busy," Raven chortled, seeing her mothers in their towels, their normally bushy bed hair matted and straight. "I started making breakfast without you. I hope you don't mind."

Hermione grabbed a slice of toast off the plate, and slowly nibbled on it. "Did you put some coffee on?" she asked, and Claire obliged by levitating the pot of ebon heaven towards her. Bella got two mugs out of the cupboard while Hermione got the milk. Within five minutes the family were digging in to their breakfast, with only cursory glances at the morning news. Hermione's parents had insisted that she be raised as normally as possible, and have friends outside of Hogwarts. Naturally, this meant that Raven would keep up with current events and pop culture. Currently she was listening to a Korean popstar's hit single on her iPod.

"Raven," Bella asked, "have you finished packing yet?"

"Not yet mum, I still have to sort Padfoot out. He keeps insisting on sleeping in my bed once I get out of it;" she replied. At the mere mention of his name, her 12 month old black Labrador puppy came bounding into the room, softly licking her bare feet under the table.

"I think Padfoot will make great company at Hogwarts," Hermione said, polishing off her first coffee cup before the phone rang.

"15 years and I still won't get used to that phone," Bella complained, as she gave Padfoot a strip of bacon off her plate to munch on.

"That was Ginny," Hermione said as she put the phone down on its stand. "She and the kids are coming here in about an hour's time, soon as she gets them ready."

"James always messes around with Aunt Ginny before going to Hogwarts," Raven giggled, before morphing and flying back upstairs, with Padfoot in pursuit.

"Raven, make sure you're packed before they get here," Bella shouted up to her daughter.

"Okay mum," came the reply, complete with excited barking from Padfoot as Raven begun to cuddle him. As Bella tutted Hermione slinked her way towards her wife.

"Do you think we have enough time before they get here?" she asked, gesturing to the basement where she was first brought all those years ago. Bella looked at Claire, who smiled warmly at her, telling her it would be fine by her, and quick as a flash Bella had pulled Hermione down into the basement.

In truth, they had all day to be doing this, but they were just so horny that they needed to do it now, and get rid of some of the heat before Ginny arrived. Shedding their towels, the two set to work on each other, kissing and tweaking every inch of each other's bodies until they shuddered with pleasure. Hermione pushed back the band of hair that covered Bella's scar and stroked her cheek tenderly. "You are one of the bravest, and most beautiful women that I have ever loved; Bella Black," she purred as she slowly kissed down her wife's neck. She lay down on the table and summoned a series of clamps and toys for Bella to use.

* * *

As Ginny and her children arrived, they were already packed and ready for school. Ginny's youngest son, Albus, had just turned 11 the month prior, and so he was now eligible to go to Hogwarts alongside the twins James and Lily. James had inherited his father and paternal grandfather's penchant for mischief, causing more and more pranks with each passing year. He had even found the Marauders Map in his mother's room, and after some guidance from his late father he was able to activate the maps powers. Lily on the other hand was fiery like the other female Weasleys. Being older by 5 minutes she sought to constantly protect her fraternal twin, and had inherited her mother's mastery over the 'Bat-Bogey Hex'. In addition, now that she was 15 boys were paying a lot more attention to her. Al on the other hand was very timid and shy. He was always being compared to the twins, and believed that they were better than him. He feared going to Hogwarts, believing that they would throw him out for being worse than his siblings.

The group made their way inside the Manor, with Claire greeting them alongside a very happy Padfoot. Raven flew down and flopped into a seat on the sofa, squirming as James decided to sit on her chest and pretending it was a seat. Her response was to start tickling him underneath his shirt, and eventually Lily joined in, double teaming James with the tickle torture. Leaving the kids in the capable hands of Claire, Ginny made her way down into the basement to find the missing pair. Opening the bottom door, she saw Hermione tied upside down and gagged, with clips all over her body and a dildo in her ass, all the while Bella was nonchalantly plucking off clips to hear the muffled yelps of her wife.

"I see you two have been busy this morning…" Hermione looked up and saw that her friend was watching her most intimate situation with glee. "Bella, do you mind if I join in?" she asked.

"I doubt Hermione would mind, so go ahead," she answered caressing Hermione's ass as she walked away. Ginny walked over and started to tug on the clips on Hermione's nipples, making them elongate with pain each time.

"It has been way too long since I played with you guys," she said while stroking Hermione's tits. "Between Quidditch matches and raising three kids, I barely have any time for our get-togethers."

"Funny, we were going to suggest you come around later today and hang out, just the three of us." Bella moved to untie the gag in Hermione's mouth. "What do you say, pet?"

"I would love it!" came her eager reply. Bella and Ginny responded by redoubling their efforts to pull as many clips off her as possible in the shortest amount of time; Ginny beating Bella by three.

"Well, since you won that little contest, you get to finish her off, Ginny," Bella grinned. Summoning her own dildo, she turned Hermione to a 45° angle on the board before fucking her face with it. Ginny meanwhile was busy teasing her pussy while playing with the dildo in her ass. After about 5 minutes of this rough treatment, Hermione finally came, soaking Ginny's face and orgasming repeatedly. As the three enjoyed the afterglow of this teaser session to the days main event later on, they cleaned themselves up and headed back upstairs.

xxx

The group made the trip to Kings Cross via Floo Powder, arriving at a hidden alleyway next to Platform 9 ¾. After conversing with the staff, they spotted their friends making their way towards them: Ron and Emma, with their children; and Draco and his son. As the group got together the teens talked to one another while the adults caught up. As they conversed a few more people arrived at the station; Fleur and Bill, with their daughter Victorie, and their godson Teddy Lupin in tow. Even more of a surprise was the appearance of Tom Riddle, who it later turned out, had been at the Ministry early that morning in a meeting with Minister Shacklebolt, who was close to retiring.

Victorie was a different story compared to Ginny's children. She was one of the younger kids of the main group and at the age of 13 she had been turning quite a few heads around Hogwarts. Add to that her Veela ancestry and she was indeed one of the hottest teens around.

15 year old Teddy Lupin spent a lot of his time with his grandmother, Andromeda Tonks, as well as his great aunts Bella and Narcissa Malfoy and his godparents. He and Victorie had also begun dating, and the two appeared to be made for each other. The two were happy to have him in their lives, and Teddy loved having a family.

Ron and Emma's children, Rose and Hugo were almost exact duplicates of Ron and Hermione in terms of personalities. Hugo, being a second year had a whole year of experience more than his sister, but Rose was no slouch. Her father had shown her a lot of books from his time at Hogwarts and she had taken the time to read them to the point where she was on equal footing with her brother and above par with her peers. She also had a lot of innate talent and never failed to make it known to her brother. However, Hugo was very protective of his younger sibling, once standing up to a group of boys who had attempted to pick on her in their school.

Scorpius Malfoy, Draco's only son, was a sweet and caring young man. Draco had instilled in him a sense of pride and honour, in that he should be proud to be a Slytherin like his father, but also honour the fact that he is not above the other houses either. Since Lucius' death Draco had lessened his views on Muggles and half-bloods immensely. He no longer considered blood purity to be the most important thing in life, and he would teach his son to respect everyone that he met.

* * *

As everyone was chatting, Albus wandered off spotting a crow on a bench. Following the crow, he found himself heading to a waiting room, where the crow revealed himself to be none other than his father, the legendary Harry Potter. Albus had heard stories from his siblings about his father, but had never actually met him. Harry decided to take the time to catch up with his son, given that he knew what it was like not knowing his father. The two embraced each other, and after several declarations of love between the two, Albus summoned the courage needed to ask the burning question on his mind.

"Dad, what happens if I end up in Slytherin?" he asked, "I don't want to be away from James and Lily."

"Albus Serverus Weasley," Harry answered, putting his hand on his son's shoulder, "you were named after two Headmasters' of Hogwarts. One was a very clever man, who taught me a lot of valuable life lessons, while the other was the single bravest man I have ever known."

"But Dad, what if I'm not ready to be a wizard, I'm not as good as James or Lily, I'm just, well me…" Albus looked down at his feet, but Harry crouched down to look his son in the eye.

"Al, if you do end up in Slytherin, then they will have gained a remarkable new house member, with a very bright future. And if you really don't want to be in Slytherin, then just say so to the Sorting Hat; it does take your choice into account."

"How do you know that?" Albus asked.

"It took mine into account." Harry barely told anyone this fact, and if he did it was to people he really trusted and cared for. "Don't be scared about the future, Al. There are so many things you are going to be able to do at Hogwarts, and you will have family to help you through it."

"Thanks Dad," a tearful Albus replied, giving his father a hug just as his mother walked in.

"Harry!" Ginny cried out dashing towards him and giving him a much overdue kiss. The rest of the gang soon followed suit, joining Harry, Ginny and Albus in the room. With the children fawning over the infamous Harry Potter, and James sprouting stories of his time as a Hogwarts student, the parents all conversed with one another.

"So, have you figured out a way to stay in this world longer than a day, Harry?" Bella asked, "Because I have a sneaking suspicion your kids want some family time with you."

"Still working on the last few details, but I may have found a solution;" Harry replied. "While I would still need to carry out my duties as Death, I may have found a way to be in two places at once." With this, he concentrated, and his animal form, (a crow) emerged and formed beside him as a humanoid figure. "In effect, my animal form is the 'spectre' of Death, while I am the 'spirit' or 'soul' of Death," he explained. "So by removing the two aspects, one can perform the tasks at hand in the Spirit Realm and the Afterlife, while I remain here in the Physical Realm."

"So does that mean you're here to stay, for good?" Ginny asked.

"Not exactly," Ginny's face saddened, before Harry picked up her chin and gave her another kiss. "Consider it more like shifts at work," he said with a beaming smile. At this revelation, Ginny hugged him tighter than ever before. "And I believe that the first formal thing I shall do now is this:" Harry got down on one knee and materialised a golden rune-encrusted ring, "Ginny Weasley, after all these years of patiently waiting, will you finally marry me?"

The look on Ginny's face was priceless, the other couples in the room were looking on and happy for her while she was momentarily speechless. "Harry James Potter, nothing in this world would stop me from marrying you, nor make me happier." She got up and kissed him, only stopping so that they could place the ring on her finger.

As the train signalled its impending departure, the group headed back to the platform. The Potter-Weasleys gave their parents a massive group hug, the first of many; while the Weasley-Watsons kissed their parents goodbye. Scorpius gave his father a formal handshake, before pulling him into a warm embrace. Victorie and Teddy hugged Bill and Fleur, saying that they would look out for each other.

Finally Raven hugged her mothers tightly, telling them she would do everything she could to make them proud. As the train embarked and the group were waved off Hermione felt hope in her heart. Bella felt it too, and as the two bade their farewells to the other families, along with their invitation to Ginny, they headed home. They decided to Apparate to the town that their home was located and then walk the rest of the way, enjoying the September sun.

"Bella," Hermione asked, "do you ever regret the choices you made in the past?" Bella looked at her puzzled, before pulling her close.

"Hermione, I have done a lot of things, made a lot of choices I'm not proud of, things that I regret doing, things I wish I could change. But if there's one thing I am proud of, it is not killing you in the Ministry, the night Sirius died. If I had, we would never have had our beautiful daughter. We would never have had companionship together. I am proud to be married to a beautiful woman, Muggle born or not. "

"And the plane crash?"

"If I could do over those events, I wouldn't, because it wouldn't change anything. I made a choice, good or bad. That's all there is to it." Bella gave Hermione a long kiss to prove her point just as they got to the door of Black Manor.

"Well, I doubt that I would want to change what happened," Hermione said opening the door to the Manor. "My experiences say that once you choose something that path is set in stone."

"So true." As Hermione made her way inside to prepare for the afternoon's activities, Bella looked out into the fields, and across to the village nearby. The scar across her eye from the crash would never heal, but it reminded her of the choice she made that day. Hermione's words rang true. She didn't want to change anything. After all, she had everything she had ever wanted right here – a loving family. She entered the manor and closed the door. All was well with her own little piece of the world.


	31. Author's Note

**After 25 long months, this project, this story is finally over. To all my reviewers, I'm very pleased that you have enjoyed this story, and I thank you for your kind words and support.**

**In the beginning, this story was all about how choices affect what happens in the future; how one little change can affect so much. In a story like _Harry Potter_, this is a major issue, since magic is the main fantasy part of the story. By making one change to an already established character, the entire story changed. Those of you who read HP7 will know the 'real' ending to the story. What I have written is as close to the main timeline with subtle, and sometimes more blatant, changes.**

**This was originally an exercise in how to fend off boredom in between University years. What it became was a project on a philosophical idea – do the choices we make, no matter how great or small, affect who we are as a person? Are we forever doomed to a single way of thinking; of behaving? Or are we able to influence our future by choosing a different path? Is our freedom of choice a myth, or do we have the ability to change the future by a choice we make now?**

**Ultimately, the simple fact is this, my friends. We need to work together, and not against each other, in order for our choices to matter in the grand scheme. The sooner each person makes the conscious choice for peace and harmony, only then do those choices make a difference.**

**I leave you with one final question readers: You had the choice to read this story. If you had the chance to go back and change your mind, would you do it? Would you make that choice?**

**I wouldn't.**


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